Back Issue #130

BRONZE AGE PROMOS, ADS, and GIMMICKS er 202

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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO…

SUPER-STARS SOCIETY?

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Wonder Woman and all characters TM & © DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

THE

Hostess comic ads • DC Hotline • Popeye Career Comics DC 16-Page Previews • Marvel’s little-known Quarterly Reports & more!

Volume 1, Number 130 September 2021 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Eury PUBLISHER John Morrow

Comics’ Bronze Age and Beyond!

DESIGNER Rich Fowlks COVER ARTIST Dick Dillin and Dick Giordano (Unpublished alternate cover art from DC Comics’ 5 Star Super-Hero Spectacular, courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions.)

COVER COLORIST Glenn Whitmore COVER DESIGNER Heritage Comics Michael Kronenberg Auctions Tony Isabella George Khoury PROOFREADER David Anthony Kraft Rob Smentek Paul Kupperberg Sven Larsen SPECIAL THANKS Legion Lad Mark Arnold Paul Levitz Mike W. Barr Ed Lute Howard Bender Paul Macchia Eric Bresler Maddy Madrazo Kurt Busiek Andy Mangels Michael Catron Mike’s Amazing World Mike Chen of DC Comics Joe del Beato Dan Mishkin Jo Duffy Tom Morgan Scott Edelman Mark Pacella John Eury Jimmy Palmiotti Mark Evanier Donnie Pitchford Danny Fingeroth Sean Reiley Bruce Fisher Bob Rozakis Gary Fishman Rose Rummel-Eury Robert Loren Jim Salicrup Fleming Scott Shaw!

Mike Gold Merrie Spaeth Grand Comics Roger Stern Database Terry Stewart Fred Grandinetti Laurie Sutton Walt Grogan Roy Thomas John Hebert John Wells Karl Heitmueller, Jr. Marv Wolfman Glenn Herdling John Workman

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OFF MY CHEST: Guest editorial by Paul Kupperberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The writer/editor looks back at his long tenure writing DC Comics promo material FLASHBACK: Hostess Comic Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 You’ll get a big delight in the story behind one of the Bronze Age’s craziest ad campaigns BEYOND CAPES: Popeye Career Guidance Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 An articulate Sailor Man as a vocational counselor??

GREATEST STORIES NEVER TOLD: Whatever Happened to the DC Super-Stars Society? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 The story behind DC’s ill-fated Bronze Age fan club PRINCE STREET NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Cartoonist Karl Heitmueller, Jr.’s wayback machine of Bronze Age comic promos BACKSTAGE PASS: The DC Hotline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 DC’s phone-in Direct Currents source—with transcripts of select messages!

FLASHBACK: DC 16-page Preview Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 From New Teen Titans to M.A.S.K., many early ’80s DC series started as free inserts WHAT THE--?!: Marvel Quarterly and Annual Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 It’s unlikely you’ve ever seen these unusual Marvel publications from the ’90s IN MEMORIAM: Steve Lightle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 BACK TALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Reader reactions BACK ISSUE™ is published 8 times a year by TwoMorrows Publishing, 10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614. Michael Eury, Editor-in-Chief. John Morrow, Publisher. Editorial Office: BACK ISSUE, c/o Michael Eury, Editor-in-Chief, 112 Fairmount Way, New Bern, NC 28562. Email: euryman@gmail.com. Eight-issue subscriptions: $90 Economy US, $137 International, $36 Digital. Please send subscription orders and funds to TwoMorrows, NOT to the editorial office. Cover art by Dick Dillin and Dick Giordano. Wonder Woman, Shazam!, Green Arrow, Black Lightning, and Plastic Man TM & © DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.

All characters are © their respective companies. All material © their creators unless otherwise noted.

All editorial matter © 2021 Michael Eury and TwoMorrows except Prince Street News © 2021 Karl Heitmueller, Jr. ISSN 1932-6904. Printed in China. FIRST PRINTING.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 1

[Editor’s note: Paul Kupperberg—no stranger to BACK ISSUE’s pages as both an occasional contributor and as a “talking head” in regard to the many comics he has written and edited, blogged (https://kupps.malibulist.com) back in 2015 about his previous work producing various DC promotional publications. I felt this was of interest to readers, and with Paul’s permission present herein his post, edited for BI.] For many (many!) years, I wrote a fairly steady stream of promotional material for DC Comics. In 1976, I was hired as assistant to the company’s public relations director and one of my duties was gathering the news for and writing copy for DC Coming Attractions, a monthly newsletter sent out to retailers, complete with shipping dates. paul kupperberg I also used some of that same news to write “news” articles for the Daily Planet © Luigi Novi / pages in the comics (most memorable for Wikimedia Commons. being the longtime home of Bob Rozakis’ “Answer Man” column). I can’t always pinpoint the stop and start dates of my participation in DC Coming Attractions and the many iterations that followed, but the earliest copy I have is dated July 1978 and the last is March 2003.

DCCA was a four-page, 8.5” x 11” pamphlet (printed double-sided on a sheet of 11” x 17” plain paper and folded) and remained that way throughout its run, with only one example (at least that I have) of pumping it up with an additional signature to make an eight-page bonanza; December 1981 was a busy month, and included the debut of my and Jan Duursema’s “Arion, Lord of Atlantis” backup strip in Warlord #55. Its production was often down and dirty; at times, and I assume dependent on deadlines, it could have been banged out on a typewriter and pasted up from that or sent out for typesetting. For many years, DCCA was printed in the Warner Bros. print shop in the basement of 75 Rockefeller Center, where DC had its offices (manned by Neil, of the “magic finger,” who also handled printing the 40 copies of DC’s Cancelled Comics Cavalcade). I’m guessing from looking at the later black-and-white plain-paper issues that at some point DCCA switched over to offset printing, as much for ease as volume; by the early to mid-1980s, there were something like 6,000 comic-book shops around, serviced by 13 different distributors, of which Steve Geppi’s Diamond would eventually become the last man standing.

Somewhere between 1982 and December 1986, DCCA became DC Releases. The size and page count stayed the same, but the design and production values were slicked up, even if the paper remained the same standard 20-pound Bond. Another name change came between March 1988 and July 1991, which is the next issue I have, by which time it had been redubbed DC Coming Comics and had graduated to slick paper and 12 8.5” x 11” pages of news, previews of covers and art, and detailed synopsis of every issue shipping.

But there’s some overlap between those slick issues of DC Coming Comics and the next version of DC Direct Currents (DCDC), the first issue of which was dated July 1988. I believe— I could be wrong—that Coming Comics was intended for shop owners, while Direct Currents was aimed at the consumer.

Direct Currents was considerably slicker than any of its predecessors. It was printed at comic-book size, on slick (Mando) paper, and was in full color, and it was the first one to have a dedicated designer putting it together (shout-out to Julia Sabbagh!). In addition to news stories and listings of

by P a u l

2 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Kupperberg

Keeping Up, Thanks to Kupps (this page and opposite) Samples of Kupperbergwritten DC Coming Attractions, DC Coming Comics, and DC Direct Currents, all courtesy of Paul Kupperberg.

TM © DC Comics.

the month’s comics, DCDC also ran cartoons and more up-close-andpersonal material about the creators, including a monthly interview with a creator in the news; for that first issue, I interviewed David Mazzucchelli and Richmond Lewis about their work on “Batman: Year One” in Batman.

In the years that followed, I did over 40 such interviews. And, at some point, DCDC became a “flip book,” with one side dedicated to the DCU and the other to Vertigo and other imprints, like Paradox Press.

I was on DCDC for 84 issues (through March 1995); it ran through #92 (November 1995), with its final issue containing a notice from co-editors Patty Jeres and Marco Palmieri, who finished out the run, referring people to Diamond’s Previews or AOL’s DC Comics Online for upcoming info. Then, in December 2001 I began what would be a 15-issue run on DC Direct (lasting until March 2003), another comic-book size, color promotional pamphlet, this one dedicated to

the DC Direct line of statues and toys. I was at that time an editor in DC’s Licensed Publishing department and had been writing much of the packaging and house ad copy for DC Direct product for a while.

I had become sort of a legacy on these promotional projects. When the original promo guy left, Jack C. Harris inherited both DC Coming Attractions and me. Later on, Roger Slifer took over in his position as DC’s director of the direct market, and, since Roger and I were sharing an office (this was 1981 and I was back on staff, this time as the public relations guy), he threw me the assignment. When Roger left and the project went elsewhere (Robyn McBride, perhaps?), I went with it, and by the time of the long running DC Direct Currents, I was Peggy May’s problem… then Tammy Brown’s… and Patty Jeres’… and Marco Palmieri and Maureen McTigue’s… and then, at long last, Cyndi Barwick’s on DC Direct.

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4 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

by M i c h a e l

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Twinkie photo by Evan-Amos. All Hostess products and logos © Hostess Brands, LLC. Characters © their respective copyright holders.

Eury

While comic characters speak a universal language—through word balloons and narrative captions—they are segregated into many different publisher-related universes. Each realm might share some similarities (such as a signature tycoon, be it Bruce Wayne, Tony Stark, Richie Rich, or Hiram Lodge), but only the most uninitiated reader would have difficulty differentiating these universes. The only thing, say, Gotham City has in common with Riverdale is its medium of origin.

And a sweet tooth.

During the halcyon days of the Bronze Age, “Great Krypton!” and “It’s clobberin’ time!” made room for another popular catchphrase in comic books: “You get a big delight in every bite.”

This was an era where the mere sight of a Twinkie®, cupcake, or fruit pie could easily vanquish the most sinister supervillain, persistent poltergeist, antagonistic alien, or roadrunner-ravenous coyote.

When five competing publishers participated in a single advertising initiative. When an ad starring a Marvel or Harvey Comics character could appear in a Gold Key comic.

Hope you’re hungry, dear reader, because you’re about to feast upon the tasty tale of the Hostess Comic Ads!

Foot Soldier This AAU Shuperstar comic ad appeared in 1977 and was one of many similar promos marketing directly to the young readership of comic books.

AAU Shuperstar © Intermark Shoe Company.

TWINKIE, TWINKIE, LITTLE STAR

It seems impossible to imagine a shared bond between the powerring-wielding spacecop Green Lantern and the good little witch Wendy, but from 1975 through 1982, they—and many other and County Supervisor Harvey Milk, resulting in White’s conviction for superheroes and cartoon characters—became spokespersons for only manslaughter instead of murder.” scrumptious snack foods produced by Hostess Brands in a series of Over the decades, Hostess has had different parent corporations comic advertisements appearing in the very comic books themselves. (during the era of the comic ads it was ITT Continental Baking Hostess is known as one of the most successful packagers of baked Company), and weathered mismanagement and a late-2012 sweet goods, its brands including Ding Dongs, HoHos, Sno-Balls, bankruptcy filing, where manufacturing plants were shut down and Chocodiles, and Hostess Fruit Pies. Hostess dates back to 1919, over 18,000 employees axed. This disruption caused a Twinkie when its “CupCake” first popped out of the oven. In 1930 shortage that incited Rapture-like pandemonium, with baker-businessman James Alexander Dewar (1897–1985) some sugar-shocked enthusiasts hoarding the creamcooked up a cream-filled yellow sponge cake that would filled treats. (Are these the same people who snatched ultimately become not only a snack-food favorite but up all of the toilet paper during 2020’s coronavirus a pop-culture icon: the Twinkie®, its name inspired, lockdown?) In 2013 Apollo Global Management and says the legend, by a then-popular promo for Twinkle Metropolous & Company acquired and resuscitated Toe Shoes footwear. Hostess eventually developed Hostess Brands, and soon Twinkies and its baked its own cartoon character, the cowboy-hat-wearing brothers were available for sale once again. Global Twinkie the Kid, to hawk the product. chaos was quelled, leading many Twinkie lovers to Twinkies have so captured the minds (and taste buds) shower investor Dean Metropolous with gratitude. of the general public that the “Twinkie Defense” has “People walk up and thank me for bringing back entered the unofficial legal vernacular, albeit with a Twinkies,” he was quoted as saying in his coverhorrific backstory. According to Law.com, the “Twinkie featured profile on the May 4, 2015 edition of the james dewar Defense” is “a claim by a criminal defendant that at finance magazine Forbes. the time of the crime he/she was of diminished mental Today, Hostess Twinkies and other baked snacks capacity due to intake of too much sugar, as from eating ‘Twinkies,’ sugar- remain perennially popular in grocery aisles. The Twinkie is such rich snacks. The defense was argued successfully by a defense psychiatrist an iconic treat that family Halloween costumes are available with a in the notorious case of former San Francisco County Supervisor Dan “Hostess with the mostess” aproned outfit for Mom and a kid-sized White, who shot and killed San Francisco Mayor George Moscone “Twinkie pack” costume that will hold two children!

HOSTESS POP QUIZ THE ANSWER:

this day-for once and for always-- i declare

war

on the human race-6 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

--for copyright infringement!

© Marvel.

© Paramount Pictures.

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY CALL A TWINKIE IN MEXICO?

COMICS AS ADVERTISEMENTS

Back when comic books emerged as an entertainment medium in the mid- to late 1930s, it didn’t take long for advertisers to appreciate the value of marketing directly to the audience by producing ads in the comics format. Illustrated product ads became commonplace in comic books.

An early example was Captain Tootsie, from the original Captain Marvel’s creative team of writer C. C. Beck and artist Pete Costanza, created to be the superhero spokesperson for Tootsie Rolls. Perhaps no use of the comic medium in an ad is more legendary than “The Insult That Made a Man Out of Mac,” which for many decades flexed for the Charles Atlas bodybuilding program.

Comic illustrations were used to hype cheesy toys and novelties that never quite lived up to their promise (I highly recommend Kirk Demarais’ 2011 book, MailOrder Mysteries: Real Stuff from Old Comic Books, from Insight Editions). The Silver Age featured numerous comic-art ad campaigns, sometimes drawn by noted comic artists, like Irv Novick’s G.I. Joe ads and Kurt Schaffenberger’s Captain Action ones. Not only could you see Bullwinkle hawking Cheerios on animated TV commercials, Saturday morning’s famous moose and his pal Rocky the Flying Squirrel also sold the breakfast cereal in illustrated ads appearing in comic books.

Superman kept busy throughout the 1960s in a DC Comics house-ad campaign promoting the New Jersey amusement park Palisades Park (forgive the plug, but

you can read all about Palisades Park in my 2017 book from TwoMorrows, Hero-A-Go-Go: Campy Comic Books, Crimefighters, and Culture of the Swinging Sixties).

Kids of the Space Age couldn’t wait for Mattel’s Major Matt Mason or Ideal’s Zeroids lines thanks to the comic ads that hyped them.

The trend continued in the 1970s: Kubert School students—and their chief instructor, Joe Kubert himself— illustrated lots of superhero product ads for Marvel and DC throughout the decade. Evel Knievel action figures and miniatures (see RetroFan #15) were promoted not only in comic ads but via a specialty Evel Knievel oneshot giveaway comic book produced by Marvel Comics (to be covered in BI #134). The decade witnessed other memorable—and not so memorable—comic ads promoting everything from Stretch Armstrong to Easy Bake Oven, from Duke the Super Action Dog to Big Jim. Manufacturers and their ad agencies created their own superheroes to sell their products in comic ads, such as Intermark Shoe Company’s AAU Shuperstar.

There was no denying the appeal of using the comic medium and its four-color favorites as a means to sell products to its young audience.

Early HCAs Two famous firsts, (left) DC’s first Hostess Comic Ad, starring Batman (art by Dick Giordano), and (right) Gold Key’s first ad, starring the Road Runner (art attributed to John Costanza).

Batman TM & © DC Comics.

Road Runner TM & © Warner Bros.

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

And thus, the comic-ad format was selected as the medium for Hostess to reach young consumers.

Five major publishers comprised the initiative: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Harvey Comics, Archie Comics, and Gold Key Comics (Gold Key, publisher

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of a variety of licensed titles, featured Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes not appear in Sad Sack but instead inside a different Harvey title such characters in the ads). as Casper, Richie Rich, etc.

The initial Hostess Comic Ads (HCAs) premiered in January 1975, The Hostess Comic Ads campaign enjoyed a long shelf life, from in titles cover-dated April 1975 (or March 1975, in the case of Gold its inception in March–April 1975 cover-dated comics through titles Key). First to be seen, in comic books going on sale on January 2, cover-dated April 1982, with rerun ads trickling into print for another 1975, were DC’s Batman (with Robin) in “Batman and the Mummy,” seven months. Of the known HCAs published (see checklist at the written by E. Nelson Bridwell and drawn by Dick Giordano, and conclusion of this article), Harvey’s Richie Rich appeared in more ads Harvey’s Richie Rich in “What Money Can’t Buy,” purportedly written than any other character, headlining at least 36. On his heels: Casper

by Stan Kay and drawn by Warren Kremer. The following week, Gold the Friendly Ghost with 33, Josie with 28 (12 more than the freckleKey published the HCA “Treat to Eat,” starring the Looney Tunes faced namesake of Archie Comics!), Spider-Man with 22, Hot Stuff favorite, (Beep Beep) the Road Runner—who, unlike his theatrical/ and Wendy with 19 each, Sad Sack with 18, and Batman and Archie television counterpart, could speak in his comic-book adventures with 16 each. More HCAs starring Harvey characters were produced and had three sons in the vein of Donald Duck’s Huey, Dewey, and than any other publisher, with at least 129 ads appearing. Second was Louie; the writer of the Road Runner HCA is unknown, but its art Marvel, with 87 ads, followed by DC, with 80. is attributed to John Costanza. During the first week of February DC, Marvel, Harvey, and Archie continued with the initiative 1975, Archie and Marvel got into the act with Archie in “Good Deal” throughout its entire run, but Gold Key Comics, which was inching and Spider-Man in “The Trap,” respectively. “Good Deal,” which toward extinction during this era, slowly segued out. First, by midfeatured the Archies singing group, was drawn by Dan DeCarlo and 1976, no new Looney Tunes-starring HCAs were being produced by possibly written by Frank Doyle, while “The Trap” was illustrated by Western Publishing, Inc., Gold Key’s content provider. In their place the Amazing Spider-Man art team of Ross Andru and Mike Esposito, alternated Marvel and Harvey HCAs—meaning a reader of Gold Key’s over a script by an unknown writer.

Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories might be surprised by a Hostess ad While each of the initial five looked like a legitimate comic page starring Captain America or Richie Rich! As Harvey Comics historian from its respective publishing house, especially with their use Mark Arnold tells BI, “A few of the Harvey ads only appeared of familiar artists, they all featured a consistent formula: in Gold Key/Whitman Comics!” Western Publishing did the protagonist is introduced, a menace or problem is produce a final, post-Looney Tunes HCA, starring Cracky, introduced, Hostess snack foods are used to subdue the wacky parrot that was Gold Key’s host character, the menace or solve the problem, and product in titles cover-dated April 1977. But titles cover-dated placement ensues, along with smiles. With the October 1980 were the last Gold Keys to include a many HCAs that would follow—the total varies upon Marvel or Harvey HCA, although the Hostess Comic which Hostess Comic Ad archivist (and there are Ads program had well over another year of life ahead many online) you consult, but according to Mike’s of it at the other four publishers.

Amazing World of Comics (mikesamazingworld.com), there are over 352 HCAs!—the same basic scenario A BIG DELIGHT would occur. Again and again.

Bridging the disparate worlds of Aquaman, SpiderThe earliest HCAs originally ran for two months, Man, Josie, Hot Stuff, and Bugs Bunny into a single appearing across each publisher’s respective line, advertising campaign was a stroke of genius, ted bates making the ads published in 1975 much more currying the cooperation of the five competing familiar with readers. Beginning in 1976, numerous publishers. Not since innovative licensing agent strips were being produced, and as such their window of exposure Stanley Weston, the co-creator of G.I. Joe, had such a cross-company was shortened. A pattern emerged: A Hostess Comic Ad could not run project been seen. Weston, through his company Leisure Concepts, in the comic book featuring its star—meaning a Sad Sack HCA could had connections to multiple licenses and was adept at bringing them together under a single product line, as he did in the mid-1960s with Ideal’s Captain Action and in the 1970s with Mego’s World’s Greatest Super-Heroes action figures. But a different house of ideas was behind the Hostess comic-book initiative.

Helming the Hostess Comic Ads campaign was the Ted Bates The Lord of the Jungle transitioned from DC Comics to & Co. Agency. Its founder and namesake, Ted Bates (1901–1972), Marvel Comics during the Hostess Comic Ads era, but a 1981 inductee into the Advertising Hall of Fame, was a modest missed out on being included in the HCA campaign. man with boisterous ideas. After starting his small New York-based agency in 1940 and experiencing moderate growth throughout However, this 1975 Tarzan comic ad (with Joe Kubert that decade, by the time the 1950s rolled around, Bates and his artwork!) for Nabisco’s Pom Poms was the next best thing! admen were poised to capitalize upon the then-burgeoning medium of television. While early TV commercials generally featured an announcer extoling the merits of a product—in short, videoed versions of the radio ads that preceded it—Bates & Co. exploited this new visual medium to essentially recreate and evolve the TV commercial. He “developed a reputation for the aggressive hard sell typified by early television commercials for products such as [the over-the-counter painkiller] Anacin,” according to Bates’ June 1, 1972 obituary in the New York Times. “These commercials featured hammers pounding on the heads of headache sufferers and announcers pounding home the name of the product.”

By the early 1970s, Bates & Co. was a top five agency, with estimated billings of $424.8 million in 1971, according to the New York Times. Hostess had little reason to consider a different advertising agency for its comic ads. While Ted Bates himself had been deceased for a few years by the time the Hostess Comic Ad campaign came about, Bates & Co. had already established a relationship with Wonder Bread, which was part of the same company as Hostess—at that time ITT Continental Baking—with Bates himself having baked up Wonder Bread’s famous motto, “Builds Strong Bodies 12 Ways.”

Tarzan TM & © Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Nabisco and Pom Poms © Kraft Foods, Inc.

TARZAN’S TASTY TREATS

8 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Dry Wit Advertising copywriter Tony Macchia was very proud of this clever 1980 magazine ad. © Champagne Lanson.

MEET THE UNCREDITED HOSTESS AD WRITER

Bates & Co. was headquartered at 1515 Broadway, at 45th Street, in Manhattan. Bates & Co.’s original account manager for the Hostess Comic Ads campaign was Alan Krinsky, whose other clients early in his marketing career included Hawaiian Punch and Swingline. Krinksy, now an advertising consultant through his company Alan Krinsky Associates, managed the initiative during its first year. Mr. Krinsky did not reply to an interview request from BACK ISSUE. Taking over Bates & Co.’s Hostess Comic Ads in its second year, beginning in 1976, was copywriter Antonio R. “Tony” Macchia (1928– 2010). Macchia oversaw the Hostess account in all media, including a memorable 1976 television commercial that boasted, “Hostess and kids, they go together.”

Tony Macchia and comic books, they went together, too. Macchia’s background primed him for the four-color worlds of everyone from Aquaman to Wendy. He grew up reading Golden Age comics and traded them with his friends. He was a fan of Captain America, Superman, and Batman, and distinctly remembered buying Detective Comics #27—the first appearance of Batman—as a kid.

Macchia produced numerous childhood drawings, many of which are now in the possession of his adult son, Paul Macchia. During his youth, Tony Macchia worked as a copy boy for New York’s Daily News (“One of the tony macchia kids who worked with him was Martin Landau, the actor,” says Paul of his dad). Macchia’s art background Circa 1984 photo courtesy included illustrations for US Army publications during of Paul Macchia. his service during the Korean War, and his art studies at Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute, where his instructors included the esteemed artist Philip Guston. He started in advertising as an art director before segueing into copywriting, and touted on his resume that he had the “ability to dig into a product, find the selling point, [and] present it with wit, imagination, [and] humor.” Throughout his career, Macchia won several advertising awards and worked with an illustrious client list that also included Campbell’s Soups and Prudential Insurance. With such a pedigree, Tony Macchia was the Bates Agency’s obvious choice to take Doll Man charge of the Hostess Comic Ads initiative.

Adman Tony Macchia’s passion for old movies shows Humor was a hallmark of the Hostess Comic Ads. Each one left a smile on your face, just like the sensation you’d get after a bite of the up in some of his HCA scripts. This Wonder Woman ad product they promoted. Gags were the natural habitat for the cartoony casts of Archie Comics, Harvey Comics, and Gold Key Comics (Looney drawn by Curt Swan and Tex Blaisdell is a nod to the Tunes), but humor was largely foreign terrain for the likes of Superman, sci-fi classic, Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman. Lobby card Captain America, the post-Adam West Batman, and Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell), the heroic occupants of the DC and Marvel Universes. Yet all courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com). of the superheroes that starred in Hostess ads wielded Hostess products as “weapons” as precisely as they’d ply a well-aimed toss of a star-spangled Wonder Woman TM & © DC Comics. Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman © 1958 United Artists.

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From the Writer’s Archives (top) Courtesy of Paul Macchia, art stats of two of the DC HCAs written by his father, Tony, and penciled by Curt Swan.

TM & © DC Comics.

shield or a Batarang. No matter the villain’s machination—from familiar fiends like the Joker, the Red Skull, the Mirror Master, and the Abomination, to made-for-Hostess hellions like the big-skulled mastermind McBrain, the giant monster Flea-Market-Eating Flea, the Demolition Derby (a crook who hurled his harmful hat, with a nod to Bond villain Oddjob), and the Chairman (who could turn into… yes, a chair)—he, she, or it would instantly be distracted by a “moist, golden sponge cake” or a fruit pie’s “light, flaky crust.”

(Clearly, the Marvel and DC heroes had forgotten these lessons by the mid-1980s, else the Beyonder’s Secret Wars and the Monitor’s Crisis on Infinite Earths might’ve been halted much quicker.)

“My dad had an ironic sense of humor with a twist,” says Paul Macchia of his father, Tony Macchia. “He would take something, turn it upside down, inside out… that was his humor.”

Some of the pun-filled Hostess stories featured nods to classic movies. An example is the Wonder Woman HCA “Cooky La Moo on Broadway,” where the Amazon Princess pits her magic lasso (and ultimately, Twinkies) against a skyscraper-sized Hollywood actress who grips Steve Trevor in her hand like a doll in a scene reminiscent of the schlocky 1958 horror flick, Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman. Another Wonder Woman ad, “The Maltese Cup Cake,” not only supplants its inspiration’s “mysterious, fabled, legendary idol” with a statuette of a baked good instead of the original falcon as envisioned by noir novelist Dashiell Hammett, but its three principal characters spoof actors from John Huston’s 1941 The Maltese Falcon film adaptation: Mr. Astor (as in the movie’s Mary Astor), the “sniveling, shadowy” Petula Lorry (Peter Lorre), and the mystery’s “fat lady,” Cindy Bluestreet (Sydney Greenstreet). Gotham City’s

A Big Delight for Supie (bottom) Twinkie the Kid wishes the Last Son of Krypton a happy birthday. From the inside front cover of 1976’s The Amazing World of DC Comics Special Edition #1, celebrating the Super DC Con ’76. Art by Vince Colletta/Colletta studio. John Workman tells BACK ISSUE that he lettered this ad.

Superman TM & © DC Comics. Hostess © Hostess Brands, LLC.

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Clown Prince of Crime name-drops old movie comedy stars the Keystone Kops in the Joker HCA titled “Cornered Clown.” You can thank (or blame) Tony Macchia for these movie puns.

“Dad loved old movies,” Paul Macchia says of his father, Tony. “He would look at an old movie and see someone sitting at a bar and say, ‘Oh, that was Jane Jones. Her first movie was…’ He was that much of a movie buff, so if you see an ad that is sarcastic or [a movie] twisted around a little bit, more than likely, it was his.”

Macchia had his eye on current events for plots and villains for the superheroes to fight, coming up with bad guys like the then-trendy Roller Disco Devils (who fought the Hulk) the Bruce Lee-inspired kung-fu crook, June Jitsu (who battled Spider-Man), and references to the US Bicentennial of 1976. Just before the November 1976 US Presidential Election, where Democrat Jimmy Carter defeated Republican (and presidential incumbent) Gerald Ford, Macchia had politics on his mind—but with a wild twist that seems prescient of the contested campaign of 2020.

“Regardless of your political background, this is a ‘Wow!’,” Paul Macchia tells BACK ISSUE. “The day after the [November 2020] election, a friend of mine and I were talking about our late dads. I said mine wrote some of those old Hostess ads and did a Google search to find an example. The first ad the search turned up was about election fraud… and I saw it the day after the election! The supervillain was trying to get the votes go to somewhere else. I thought, ‘Oh, my God!’ I thought that was wild, discovering that the day after the election. My dad was probably sending me a message.” The Hostess ad in question was Captain America in “When It Rains, It Pours.”

Gold is the subject of dozens of different ads, not surprising given the impossible-to-resist wordplay around the “golden delicious” Twinkies. Boy billionaire Richie Rich unsurprisingly had several gold-related Hostess comic ads. In “Soft Gold,” bad guys overhear a fortuneteller

Close Encounter (left) Original art for “Superman Meets the Orbitrons,” drawn by Swan and Blaisdell, one of the numerous HCAs involving gold. Courtesy of Heritage. (top right) Paul Macchia remembers suggesting to his father the idea behind the Sad Sack HCA “Nap Sack on His Back” and ghostwriting the ad.

Shown here is a photocopy of the strip, from the Macchia archives. (bottom right) From 1968, ad copywriter Tony Macchia, Paul Macchia, Tony’s father, Antonio, and brother, Al. Courtesy of Paul Macchia.

Superman TM & © DC Comics. Sad Sack © Sad Sack, Inc.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 11

informing Richie that he will receive a fortune; they plan to steal it, but are befuddled to discover it’s actually a case of Twinkies. Richie visits “A Gold Sovereign,” the emperor boasting “greatest collection of gold in the world,” who salivates over the “golden bars” called Twinkies. He even encounters Mr. Goldfinder, a gold-sniffing robot that locates a stash of Twinkies.

Hostess’ gold rush wasn’t confined to Harvey Comics’ Poor Little Rich Boy. Aquaman dives into “Pirates’ Gold,” and Sabrina experiences “A Taste of Gold.” Batman tangles with “The Intergalactic Gold Eaters,” while Wendy the Good Little Witch intervenes (with Twinkies) to thwart her wicked aunts from finding “The Gold At the End of the Rainbow.”

In “Gold,” Sad Sack and Sarge follow a gold map and find a chest filled with Twinkies instead. In “Superman Meets the Orbitrons,” the Man of Steel—in his Supermobile—is dispatched into deep space to stop a Pac-Man-looking race from plundering gold… and saves the day with the “golden sponge cake.” Both of Mr. Fantastic’s solo spotlights involve gold, with Reed Richards starring in “A Passion for Gold” (fighting the villain Goldigger) and “The Power of Gold” (battling Inpercepto, an invisible alien that converts gold into energy). Spooky paints himself gold in an attempt to scare Casper as “The Golden Ghost,” but gets a taste of Twinkies instead. Even the God of Thunder, the Mighty Thor, vanquishes the Midas-lust of the egomaniacal Gudrun the Golden with a bounty of golden-delicious Twinkies.

Paul Macchia comments on why his father Tony and other writers found gold so tempting as a subject. “Back then, gold was a good investment, and it was ‘worth its weight in gold.’ The 1970s and 1980s were a little glitzy.” (True—it was the era of the Solid Gold Dancers!)

Bruce “ImaPaqRat” Fisher is a fan of the Hostess Comic Ads who hosts a Facebook page about them. He pored through thousands of Bronze Age comic books to locate their Hostess ads and one day hopes to publish a book on the subject. Fisher notes the many other patterns

that emerged in the long-running campaign: “Ever wonder how many HCAs had cats or dogs in them? Cats were in 22… dogs in nine,” he tells BACK ISSUE. “Eight HCAs feature their Hostess treats being enjoyed with a glass of milk. Nine HCAs had a full moon in them. Seventeen featured some sort of alien(s), and eight had UFOs.” Fisher’s data includes lists of nemeses, supporting characters, items and activities, speed lines (!), and other peculiarities, such as sound-alike words, onomatopoeias: “117 of the ads had at least one onomatopoeia,” he notes. “Casper in ‘Moo Boo!!’ had 21 onomatopoeias!” Holy moley!

COOKING UP THE ADS

The participating publishers provided sample copies of their comic books to the Ted Bates Agency, which were given to Macchia to read those to bring him up to speed on the superheroes from his childhood and the ones that followed in later years. Paul Macchia recalls that when he was a child, sometime in 1975, his father said to him, “‘Take these books; I’m done with them.’ One of them turned out to be X-Men #95 [second issue of the rebooted series and third issue featuring the new X-Men], Marvel Chillers with Modred the Mystic, and Marvel Presents [featuring the Guardians of the Galaxy]. I remember those three”— although that Marvel trio apparently failed to impress his father, as none of their characters were featured in a Hostess Comic Ad (in retrospect, with the X-Men’s ascendance into popularity during the HCA era, it’s surprising that the Mutants were not enlisted to sell Twinkies by the time their title had become a hit during the late Bronze Age).

But, of course, also-rans like Modred and the Guardians (in their pre-superstardom days) didn’t stand a chance for being tapped for a high-profile advertising gig. That was the domain of the most recognizable Marvel and DC heroes, although later in the campaign Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and their Justice League allies made room for Green Arrow, Plastic Man, and Red Tornado, who each got their own HCA. Same with the other publishers: Richie Rich and Casper, Archie and Josie, and Road Runner outpaced other characters.

Production of the HCAs involved communications and approvals between the Ted Bates Agency and the respective comic houses.

Tony Macchia “would write the script and it would and go to Hostess and then to Marvel [or the other publishers] to check for integrity— ‘No, you can’t do that,’ or whatever,” Paul Macchia says. “Finish the script, get a messenger and run it up to Marvel on 50th Street; that’s how it was done. They did have to go around the horn a few times. I think there was a triangulation of approvals and agreement.

You were dealing with an advertising agency, a publisher, and the client/manufacturer, Hostess. Then, I guess it was drawn and [Bates and Hostess] had a chance to look at the final layout. I would think it took a few months for these to come out.”

Paul Macchia was between the ages of 11 and 17 during the years his father worked on the Hostess Comic Ads campaign, and occasionally would serve as an unofficial focus “group” as his dad would share HCA stories with him. “I remember going to the office with [my father] a lot, on days off or holidays,” Macchia says. “One coworker [at Bates] was a guy by the name of Paul Howard”—the son of the eye-poking ringleader of the Three Stooges, Moe Howard!

According to Paul, at times Tony Macchia would allow his son to make story suggestions. “I actually asked my dad to let me write one and gave him a little concept and it took several months to come to fruition,” Macchia tells BI. “That one was with Sad Sack with a knapsack on his back [Sad Sack in ‘Nap Sack on His Back’]. That was a Harvey one. It appears almost verbatim.”

Macchia also recalls requesting that his dad write an HCA starring one of Paul’s favorite characters, the Human Torch (the Torch ultimately flamed on in a total of six Hostess ads between 1979 and 1981). One of Macchia’s Torch HCAs, “The Icemaster Cometh,” ignited a “No, you can’t do that” admonition from Mighty Marvel. Legendary comics scribe/

My Best Friend’s Girl(s) Veronica or Gwen? (Sorry, Betty!) Archie makes his pick (along with fruit pies) in this Dan DeCarlo-drawn HCA. © Archie Comics Publications, Inc.

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Tangled Web Tony Macchia’s recommended “Black Widow” was altered by Marvel into “Madam Web” in this 1977 Andru/Esposito-drawn HCA— (inset) and a few years later, a different Madame Web appeared in Spidey’s stories.

Cover to Amazing Spider-Man #210 (Nov. 1980) by John Romita, Jr. and Al Milgrom.

Spider-Man TM & © Marvel.

editor Roger Stern, who began working at Marvel in December 1975, tells BACK ISSUE, “Whoever wrote them seemed to get all of their knowledge of superheroes from memories of the old Adam West Batman series… ‘making up’ villains who turned out to have established Marvel names. For example, there was one ad that had Spider-Man fighting the villainous ‘Black Widow,’ and another that had the Human Torch fighting the evil ‘Iceman.’ We fixed those.” The Hostess “Black Widow” was turned into “Madam Web” for a 1977 HCA—but three years later, Amazing Spider-Man scribe Denny O’Neil created an entirely new and different Madame Web for the Spidey mythos. And regarding “Iceman”’s conversion into “Icemaster”… keep reading. (Re Tony Macchia being inspired by TV’s Batman, his son Paul says, “Ironically, my dad never watched the show.”)

WHO’S IN THE KITCHEN?

Many of the Hostess Comics Ads, especially superhero ones published by DC and Marvel, were scripted by Tony Macchia, who managed the campaign for the Bates & Co. until 1980. Following in his footsteps at the Bates Agency was his one-time protégé, Joel Tretin, who, according to Paul Macchia, took over the ads for their final years. (Mr. Tretin, now an adjunct assistant professor of communications design at the Pratt Institute, did not respond to BACK ISSUE’s interview requests but does list Hostess on his online resume.)

But these Bates copywriters weren’t the only scribes connected to the campaign. Writers from the comic-book world occasionally had their (yes, I’m going for the pun) fingers in the pie, particularly at the beginning of the campaign when it was under Alan Krinsky’s management.

It’s unclear who wrote the many of the earliest Marvel HCAs. The late Len Wein had just taken over from Roy Thomas as Marvel’s editor-in-chief when the Hostess initiative launched, and may have written the earliest ads. His editorial successor, Marv Wolfman, doesn’t remember ever writing any Hostess scripts.

“I don’t recall if I ever wrote a Hostess ad,” then-Marvel scribe David Anthony Kraft tells BI. Nor did Marvel’s Scott Edelman, who says, “Though I wrote the Bullpen Bulletins pages, Slurpee Cups, and a ton of other internal text, I never wrote any of the Hostess ads.”

Tony Isabella, who was active at Marvel during the time as a writer and editor, tells BACK ISSUE, “I never wrote any of them. I have a vague memory that Len or Marv might have written some of them. I have a stronger memory that those were handed out to people on staff.

I have another vague memory that they may have paid a slightly higher page rate.” Roger Stern confirms Isabella’s latter recollection: “It was a nice perk for the artists, as they were paid a higher commercial rate for the page.”

And those artists! The Marvel Hostess HCAs featured a who’s who of Marvel’s top illustrators, plus some upand-comers. Many of the Marvel ads were penciled by

Headline Filler type for placement only.

Final copy to come.

Final copy to come.

Final copy to come.

Final copy to come. ©2021 ???

Sal Buscema or Ross Andru, with John Romita, Sr., George Tuska, Gene Colan, Gil Kane, Dave Cockrum, and Marie Severin among the Mighty Marvelites drawing some of the others. Even then-newcomer Frank Miller drew two of them! According to Jo Duffy, early in her comics career as a Marvel assistant editor during the Hostess era, the ads “were overseen by [Marvel executive] Sol Brodsky and his team, because they were in charge of all of the licensing and marketing at our end. Paty Cockrum worked for Sol, and we were good friends, so I used to see a lot of this stuff as it came through the office.” Duffy joined Roger Stern in helping police the Marvel HCAs for editorial and character accuracy.

Paty Cockrum, in George Khoury’s TwoMorrows Publishing book Comic Book Heaven, recalled, “The art was done on staff, or in-house. And where I came into it was, after they had done the art, we had the Twinkie graphics and logos and things like that that they had sent us. … And I would put in the logos; I would put in the little graphics of the Twinkies or the Cup Cakes or whatever.”

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As noted previously, E. Nelson Bridwell, the longtime, long-suffering (under Silver Age Superman editor Mort Weisinger) DC Comics editor/writer/go-to historian (see BI #80), wrote the earliest DC HCAs, confirmed for BACK ISSUE by former DC executive Paul Levitz. DC President Sol Harrison was DC’s point man for the initiative, making editorial choices regarding talent. Harrison tapped THE Superman artist, Curt Swan, to draw DC’s second HCA, “The Spy,” following the Giordano-drawn Batman entry, “The Mummy.” Bridwell’s “fingerprints” are evident when one closely examines “The Spy,” as it boasts two of the famous tropes from the Superman mythos: Clark Kent’s secret closet containing Superman’s spare uniforms and a concluding image with Clark winking at his reading audience (while Lois Lane chomps into a fruit pie). Swan, often inked

by Tex Blaisdell (and, possibly, Vince Colletta, in some later ads), would remain the lone artist of DC’s Hostess ads—although Neal Adams, no stranger to illustrating advertisements through his Continuity Studios agency, managed to draw a single HCA, Green Lantern in “Half the People Here…” As with Marvel’s HCAs, DC’s production department occasionally made minor alterations to the ads. “I might have done some minor work on Hostess ads that appeared in DC books in the mid-’70s,” recalls letterer/artist John Workman, “but it would have involved last-minute changes in either art or letters.”

“I was brought in fairly late in the game,” Bob Rozakis recalls of his involvement. “It might have been Midge Bregman, who was Sol’s [Harrison] secretary, who suggested that he give me a try on a few.” Rozakis wrote six of the DC HCAs: Aquaman in “Pirates’ Gold”; Batgirl in “Fruit Pies for Magpies”; Batman in “Lights…

Camera… Crime” and “The K-9 Caper”; Hawkman in “Concerts and Cupcakes”; and “Wonder Woman vs. the Robot Master.”

While Paul Macchia recalls ghostwriting a Sad Sack HCA for his father and Tony Macchia writing some of the other Harvey ads, comic and animation historian Mark Arnold insists bob rozakis that the only writer/artist team for Harvey’s © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. many Hostess ads was Stan Kay and Warren Kremer, despite some Harvey HCA art being attributed in the original art market to illustrator Ernie Colón. “That Warren Kremer was the sole artist and Stan Kay was the sole writer of the Harvey Hostess ads has been confirmed by quite a few people over the years, including Sid Jacobson, Ernie Colón, Angelo De Cesare, Paul Maringelli, Ken Selig, Alan Harvey, Russel Harvey, Adam Harvey, Maryanne Kremer-Ames, and Peter Kremer, among others.”

Sid Jacobson, Harvey’s longtime editor, did not respond to BACK ISSUE’s requests for confirmation. Perhaps both Macchia and Arnold are correct—that Macchia, through the Bates Agency, submitted several scripts to Harvey, but they were rewritten by Kay, who also penned the other Harvey ads’ scripts. Regarding the Sad Sack ads, Arnold also states that they were drawn by Warren Kremer, working in the style of Sad Sack artist Fred Rhoads.

Arnold also attributes the Archie Comics HCAs to writer Frank Doyle and “probably” artist Dan DeCarlo. BACK ISSUE’s queries to several Archie historians netted no verifications or positive identifications for the ads’ creative credits, and both Doyle and DeCarlo, as well as longtime Archie editor Victor Gorelick, have since passed.

Comic and television writer Mark Evanier, who wrote many cartoon tie-in comic books for Western Publishing, remarks of Gold Key’s Looney Tunes HCAs, “I don’t recall seeing any that were done out of [editor] Chase Craig’s office… which by that time would have been Del Connell’s office since Chase had retired. I did not write any of them. The ones I remember seemed to have all been drawn by John Costanza, who worked exclusively for the New York office.”

An Unexpected Treat (top) Amid the DC HCAs with Curt Swan art appeared this surprise, with Neal Adams returning to one of his signature characters. (bottom) Hostess fever even affected Gold Key’s mascot, Cracky!

Green Lantern TM & © DC Comics. Cracky © 1977 Western Publishing Company, Inc.

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Double Stuff Harvey’s Hot Stuff starred in the only two-page HCA! Script by Stan Kay, art by Warren Kremer. © Classic Media.

While Hostess products were consumed by the barrelful by villains, ghosts, poor little rich boys, groovy teens, law enforcement agents, a time-displaced Julius Caesar, and civilians in these ads, an urban legend has arisen that no superhero was allowed to be shown indulging his sweet tooth. (Spandex is unforgiving.) Bob Rozakis, erstwhile longtime DC Comics staffer and “Answer Man” who wrote several DC Hostess ads, tells BACK ISSUE, “Being shown eating them would mean the heroes were endorsing the product, something that DC did not want to do. (Superman saying, ‘Hey, kids, I love Twinkies!’?! What’s next? The President of the United States hawking Goya Beans?!) As clearly shown in the ads, Hostess products were only good for capturing crooks and quelling angry crowds.”

However, one DC ad is an exception to that rule. In Wonder Woman in “Cooky La Moo on Broadway,” in its last panel the Amazon Princess is holding an unwrapped Twinkie very close to her mouth.

Did she actually enjoy “a big delight in every bite”? It’ll take the lasso of truth to get the answer out of her.

The same general practice was in place at Marvel, with most Marvel characters using Hostess products—usually wrapped, with logos visible, the ultimate in product placement—to save the day without succumbing to temptation and ripping into them. Most.

At the end of “Spider-Man and the Kidnap Caper,” Peter Parker, a glass of milk in one hand, beams as he reaches for a Twinkie offered to him by Aunt May. Thor and Lady Sif both are shown eating Twinkies at the conclusion of “A Glutton for Gold,” and the Thunder God munches on a fruit pie in “Good Overcomes Evil.” It’s slobberin’ time for Bashful Benji Grimm in “The Thing and the Ultimate Weapon,” whose last panel shows the Thing and his adversary, the robotic combatant Torgo, chomping on Hostess fruit pies. The Thing’s li’l pal, Franklin Richards, risks his life for fruit pies in the Fantastic Four ad “Wonders of Nature,” and enjoys one at the end.

But no Marvel hero’s sweet tooth can top the Hulk’s. In “The Incredible Hulk and the Twins of Evil,” after ol’ Greenskin is beaten (!) by the “deadly duo” of the Abomination and Wendigo, a couple of kids passing by nurse Hulk’s wounded ego by giving him a Hostess fruit pie. “Hulk happy now. Hulk thanks boys,” the big green guy says, his mouth stuffed. The Green Goliath bites into a chocolate cupcake in “The Hulk and Friends,” gulps a cherry fruit pie in “Leave Me

Alone,” and is about to engulf a fruit pie at the end of “The Hulk Gets Even.” Perhaps someone in Marvel’s Bullpen became worried about the Hulk’s waistline (he is shirtless, after all), since in the conclusion of “The Hulk vs. the Roller Disco Devils,” Hulk is clearly shown with a mouthful, but his opened hand posture suggests that a fruit pie drawing was eliminated from the production art!

On this subject, Jo Duffy informs BACK ISSUE, “I have never heard anything about the Marvel heroes not being permitted to be shown enjoying Hostess pastries. To tell you the truth, although that might be true, it sounds to me like a story that might have its roots in the true story that Michael Jackson, while he was appearing in ads for Pepsi—the ads he was working on when an onset pyrotechnic mishap caused him to be severely burned—had it in the contract that he would never be shown touching the soda can nor drinking the beverage, because he didn’t like soft drinks and found them unhealthy. The company counted on the pleasant associations the sight and sound of him would generate to make people want the product.

“Health concerns and being good role models in the area of nutrition is not something I think ever really crossed the minds of anybody in the mainstream back 40 or so years ago when the Hostess pastry ads were being done.”

BIG MAC ATTACK DC Comics might not have allowed Superman to nibble on Twinkies in his Hostess ads, but the Man of Steel went bonkers for burgers in this zany tale in Action Comics #454 (Dec. 1975). Cover by Bob Oksner.

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TM & © DC Comics.

FORBIDDEN FRUIT

THE LEGACY OF THE HOSTESS COMIC ADS

Sweet Satires Among the numerous parodies of Hostess Comic Ads: (top) John Byrne’s ROG-2000 and (bottom) Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon.

ROG-2000 © John Byrne.

Savage Dragon © Erik Larsen.

Nearly four decades have passed since the last Hostess Comic Ad saw print, but the campaign remains a fond memory for many who grew up on comic books of the mid1970s through early 1980s.

HCA historian and fan Bruce “ImaPaqRat” Fisher says, “I think Hostess Comic Ads are remembered because of the sheer volume of how many were created over the seven-plus years they were published”—which, from his investigation of thousands of comics, concluded with Marvel’s Doctor Strange #57, cover-dated Feb. 1983 (going on sale November 2, 1982), which included a cupcakes ad, “Spider-Man’s Dream Girl.”

Fisher adds, “Also, HCAs crossed over many comic genres and publishers, providing exposure to almost the entire comic-book population.” Fisher’s favorites of the HCAs are the two Frank Miller-drawn Marvel ads—the Human Torch in “The Icemaster Cometh” (we’re not done with that one!) and “Spider-Man and the Demolition Derby”—and Hot Stuff in “Somethin’ Else Cookin’!,” which is the campaign’s only known two-page ad.

Another mega-fan of the Hostess Comic Ads is Sean “Seanbaby” Reiley, whose Seanbaby.com blog features scans of all the superhero HCAs, with hilarious and often off-color annotations. (The site also includes sections on the Super Friends, vintage comic ads, “Absoludicrous Television,” and more.)

Reiley remarks to BACK ISSUE, “I think the thing that makes the Hostess ads so insane is that they went so much past the point of reasonable salesmanship. Spider-Man didn’t web up his enemies and turn to the reader to suggest it’s time to celebrate with a pie. He would actually be in a reality where pies were used to fight crime. It wasn’t breaking the fourth wall— it was leaping into a completely broken universe where they then ALSO broke the fourth wall!

“My favorites,” he adds, “are any of the Wonder Woman ones, but maybe ‘The Maltese Cupcake,’ if I had to pick one. It’s like the writers heard, ‘We’re doing these silly snack advertisements, so have Wonder Woman distract the bad guys with a Twinkie or whatever,’ and they heard, ‘Silly!? Sir, I make art!’ right before they got hit in the head with a shovel. They are deranged in wrong, unexpected ways like their creators just didn’t even get what they were supposed to be doing.”

Actually, copywriter Tony Macchia knew just what he was doing, mixing his campy wit with the Ted Bates Agency’s penchant for driving home an advertiser’s message. The Hostess Comic Ads premiered in January 1975, and we’re still sugarshocked by them!

The HCAs have inspired enough parodies to fill the pages of a comic book, dating back to the mid-1980s, shortly after the Hostess campaign ended. First Comics published a number of one-page Hostess spoofs including ROG-2000 by John Byrne; Mike Mist Minute Mystery by Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty; Nexus by Mike Baron and Steve Rude; Pudge, Girl Blimp by Lee Marrs; and even Reed Waller’s racy Omaha the Cat Dancer!

The spoofs continue to this day, some published in actual comic books and others fan-produced for blogs. Erik Larsen got into the act in Savage Dragon, and Marvel has published Hostess pastiches starring Spider-Man and the Thunderbolts.

You’ll get a big delight from every byte when web-searching “Hostess Comic Ads parodies,” as you’ll find spoofs starring Watchmen, Space Ghost, ROM Spaceknight, Conan the Barbarian, a photo ad featuring Wonder Woman—even Walter White from Breaking Bad.

THE TWINKIEVERSE RETURNS

While Hostess Comic Ads parodies date back almost to the advertising campaign itself, writer Kurt Busiek, co-creator of Marvels and Astro City, one-upped his fellow comics pros and comic readers by incorporating a character from a Marvel HCA into the Marvel Universe itself!

It all started in Marvel’s Thunderbolts #24 (Jan. 1999), written by Busiek with art by Mark Bagley and Scott Hanna, where some two dozen-plus bad guys were assembling as the 16 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Thawing Out Icemaster (top) The would-be “Iceman,” Icemaster, versus the Human Torch. Written by Tony Macchia (with revisions by Roger Stern and the Marvel Bullpen) and illustrated by Frank Miller. (inset) Writer Kurt Busiek (re)introduced Icemaster into the Marvel Universe in Thunderbolts #24! (bottom) This 2010 promotion reunited DC Comics’ superheroes with the Hostess Brands.

Human Torch and Thunderbolts TM & © Marvel. Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and The Flash TM & © DC Comics. Hostess logo and products © Hostess Brands, LLC.

new Masters of Evil. “I just thought it would be fun to include a Twinkieverse villain in the oversized Masters of Evil roster, and when we decided to do a lettercol contest about naming where they all first appeared, I thought it would be even more fun,” Busiek tells BACK ISSUE. “The trouble is, much as I love the Ding-A-Ling Family and Cousin Betsy the Plant Lady, most of the original Marvel Hostess villains are kinda stupid. Which is fine for what they were—they were meant to be funny, not dramatic—but I wanted someone who could be believable as a regular Marvel supervillain, so the Roller Disco Devils weren’t really gonna cut it.”

For his Hostess villain, Busiek turned to the Human Torch HCA, “The Icemaster Cometh,” written by Tony Macchia and drawn by Frank Miller. Although Macchia’s script, as earlier noted, called for the villain to be named “Iceman,” the character’s powers are quite intimidating, as he has frozen Manhattan under what Johnny Storm calls “a new ice age.” His puns (calling the Torch “Flame-Face” and “Hot Head”) aside, in just a few panels Icemaster is shown to be a formidable force—he morphs his fist into a deadly spiked ice mace and his “life-stealing cold” touch threatens to cripple the Torch. Of course, Icemaster’s addiction to Apple and Cherry Hostess Fruit Pies instantly neuters his menace, but the Thunderbolts scribe saw potential in the villain.

“Icemaster looks cool, had perfectly kurt busiek sensible powers, and didn’t wield scissorspoons or a Forget-Me-Net,” Busiek says.

Joshin Yamada.

“So Icemaster it was!”

After the Thunderbolts storyline, Icemaster—who has been given an alter ego, Bradley Kroon—has continued to appear in random Marvel stories, and now has the last laugh over the Home Wrecker, the Ding-ALing Family, and the other Hostess Rogues’ Gallery one-hit-wonders.

And yet it’s the reader who will enjoy the last laugh when revisiting this goofy but beloved ad campaign. The Hostess Comic Ads always had a happy ending, a relief in a pandemic-stricken world where we all could use a big delight. While most of the ads’ premises and sales pitches were over the top, admit it—wouldn’t it be nice to live in a world where a Twinkie can turn a bad guy into a good guy?

Special thanks to Mark Arnold, Howard Bender, Kurt Busiek, Jo Duffy, Scott Edelman, John Eury, Mark Evanier, Danny Fingeroth, Bruce “ImaPaqRat” Fisher, Tony Isabella, George Khoury, David Anthony Kraft, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Paul Macchia, Mike’s Amazing World of DC Comics, Sean Reiley, Bob Rozakis, Jim Salicrup, Roger Stern, Roy Thomas, Marv Wolfman, and John Workman. And thanks to Rose Rummel-Eury for transcribing the Paul Macchia interview.

Comics historian MICHAEL EURY has edited the Eisner Award-winning BACK ISSUE since 2003, as well as the TwoMorrows magazine RetroFan. He escapes the harsh realities of the world not by eating Hostess baked treats, but by hiding out in the nostalgia of his childhood.

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ARCHIE HCA GALLERY © Archie Publications, Inc.

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© DC Comics.

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HARVEY HCA GALLERY © Classic Media.

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© Marvel.

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HOSTESS COMIC ADS CHECKLIST ARCHIE COMICS

DC COMICS

ARCHIE Good Deal The Holdup Double Trouble Archie’s New Girl Crossword Puzzlement The Prize Disguise Hopping Mad Here’s Looking At You Chop Chop Treasure Hunt Race New Math Shut My Mouth His Just Desserts Peace and Quiet All-American Celebration Supply and Demand

AQUAMAN Twinkies and Kelp That Dirty Beach The Ice Age Mera Meets the Manta Men Aquaman and the Imperiled Sub The Space Capsule Aquaman and Pirates’ Gold

JOSIE Josie and the Cup Cakes Special Date Josie Eats Her Words The Unveiling Smart Alex Poor Dumb Thing Yowsa Yowsa So Spoiled Score Strong Silent Type A Lift for a Chairlift Down We Go Josie Attacks Karate Josie Discovers Pie Appeal Leaving Town Josie Has the Answer Going, Going, Gone Josie Goes to the Beach The Bookworm Turns The Winner Attack the Ice Creature Shopping Spree Getting Noticed Unfair Competition What Good Taste Mistaken Identity Dinner for Two Bucolic Frolic

BATGIRL A Matter of Good Taste Fruit Pies for Magpies BATMAN Batman and the Mummy The Captive Commissioner Twinkieless Gotham City The Muse The Whole World’s Upside Down Birds of a Feather Batman and Sable Lady The Corsair of Crime The Intergalactic Gold Eaters Someone is Kidnapping the Great Chefs of Gotham Professor Plutonium Catman on the Prowl The League of Assassins Hearts of Darkness Lights… Camera… Crime!

The K-9 Caper THE FLASH The Stony-Eyed Medusa A Flash in the Dam The Flash Meets the Bureauc-rat Marathon Madman GREEN ARROW An Arrow in Time

JUGHEAD Jughead and the Best Sellers

GREEN LANTERN The Fruit Pie Scene Half the People Here…

Green Lantern vs. Mirror Master Triclops, 3-Eyed Keeper of the Cave The Bobsled Run

SABRINA A Little Golden Magic A Taste of Gold Growling Grizzlies A Delicious Idea

HAWKMAN Hawkman Makes a Safe Landing She’s No Angel Concerts and Cupcakes

THE JOKER The Cornered Clown Clowning Around Laugh, Clown, Laugh!

THE PENGUIN The Cuckoo Cuckoos Penguins on Parade PLASTIC MAN Gold for Dessert THE RED TORNADO Clean Sweep SHAZAM! The Cup Cake Caper The Minerva Menace SUPERMAN The Spy Superman Saves the Earth The Big Fall An Unbeatable Power Superman vs. the Ionic Storm Superman Meets the Orbitrons The Rescue Superman Saves the Weather Satellites Gold Mine Rescue Superman vs. the Laughing Gas Bandits WONDER WOMAN The Maltese Cup Cake Cooky La Moo on Broadway Dilemma Wonder Woman vs. the Cheetah The Golden Treasure Wonder Woman Saves the Astronauts The Borrower The Baron Old Gold Wonder Woman vs. the Robot Master GOLD KEY COMICS BUGS BUNNY Scatter Shot The Great Carrot Famine Elmer’s Love Life CRACKY Time on My Hands

22 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

ROAD RUNNER Treat to Eat A Real Blast Helter Skelter Paul Revere’s Run Phony Express TWEETY AND SYLVESTER A Real Brick Gwanny’s Wacation Flower Power A Tasty Trap HARVEY COMICS CASPER (No title) (with the Ghostly Trio) (No title) (vs. No-Goodniks) (No title) (with Wendy the Good Little Witch) (No title) (vs. Nasty Ghost) Casper and the Fog Spook-A-Thon Moo Boo The Boohemians Haunted House for Sale Scaredy Cats The Boogy-Woogy Man Over the Rainboo Boo-Merang Disguise Casper Ends a Spell Watching the Clouds Go By The Ghosts’ Bazaar The Mean Little Boy A Real Oddball The Boo Keepers Outer Space Happy Boo-Day Casper Meets a Robot The Ghnats Hide and Seek Boo-tiful Endings The Champ Ghosts in the House Casper Meets the Golden Ghost The Pot of Gold Witches with a Heart of Gold Casper Undoes a Spell 3 Ghosts in a Tub HOT STUFF Frozen Forest Sigmund Fraud Baked Alaska Lame Brain

Seeing Things Nasty Dan Devilishly Good A Hot Rod A Swell Party Loop the Loops Hot Rock Playing Cupid Mad, Mad, Mad World Too Much Mush Shut My Mouth Stealing His Thunder Hot Ideas The Gobblin’ Goblin Somethin’ Else Cookin’ (2 pages) RICHIE RICH What Money Can’t Buy (No title) (with Mechano the Robot) (No title) (with Chef Pierre) Richie Rich and Bascomb, Richie’s Chauffeur (No title) (Dad’s birthday) Around the World Richie and His Robot Stranded Aunt Chatter Bucks Soft Gold Better to Give Stand Up Comic That’s a Lot of Bananas Silly Goose The Man Who Has Everything Richie Rich Brightens Up a Traffic Jam Mr. Rich Has a Nice Day Mr. Goldfinder The Masterpiece A Real Treat Nightmare Richie Meets a New Friend Lost and Found It’s Time Richie Rich Meets 2 Smart Robots A Gold Sovereign Giant-Size Freckles Double Trouble The Real Thing Tea for Three Richie Rich Tackles a Problem Take It Away The Winning Combination Light’s Out Fool’s Gold Make Him Smile

SAD SACK (No title) (with an escaped tiger) (No title) (Sad Sack dreams of a promotion) Doggone It Sad vs. Merri Nap Sack on His Back Oops Not Fair Gold Lucky Day Sad Sack Catches It What a Trip Get Sarge The Big Hit The Hero Happy Birthday Down and Out Happy Landings Sad Sack Saves the Picnic SPOOKY One Big Boo-Boo After Another Pearl’s Purse Don’t Make Waves Pay Dirt WENDY THE GOOD LITTLE WITCH (No title) (with Gobble-Up Goblin) Wendy and the Ugly Monster Which Witch is Which?

Break the Spell The Talking Surfboard Up ’n Down Give Me a Cheer Her Smart Wand Wendy’s Wand Puts Out the Fire The Forgotten Recipe Wendy’s Broom Saves the Day Wendy Has a Visitor The Spell A Little Magic The Cherry-Dactyl Wendy Catches the Good Taste Bandit Willow Don’t You Weep Wendy Brightens Up the Night The Gold at the End of the Rainbow

MARVEL COMICS CAPTAIN AMERICA Captain America and the Red Skull When It Rains, It Pours The Sore Sir’s Apprentices Cut on the Dotted Line A Friendly Gesture Captain America vs. the Aliens The Time Warp An Invading Army The Deserted City The Deciding Factor Fury Unleashed CAPTAIN MARVEL The Big Bang The Energy Crisis Killer Bee and Son He’s All Mouth Captain Marvel Meets the Dreadnought Captain Marvel Returns to Earth Captain Marvel vs. Professor Sneer Captain Marvel Defends the Earth Flea Bargaining DAREDEVIL Daredevil’s “Dare-Double” Because McBrain’s Brain Drain The Peachy Keen Caper Daredevil vs. Johnny Punk The Longest Fight FANTASTIC FOUR Wonders of Nature THE HULK The Twins of Evil The Hulk and “Friends” The Hulk vs. the Green Frog The Green Thumb Forget-Me-Net Up a Tree Leave Me Alone The Hulk Changes His Mind The Ultimate Weapon The Hulk Gets Even The Roller Disco Devils The Phoomie Goonies THE HUMAN TORCH Sparks Fly The Icemaster Cometh A Hot Time in Old Town The Human Torch Saves the Valley

Blown About Hot-Tempered Triumph IRON MAN City Crisis Rust Be My Destiny A Dull Pain An Irresistible Force Brains Over Brawn The Hungry Battleaxe Iron Man vs. the Bank Robbers The Charge of the Rhinos MR. FANTASTIC A Passion for Gold The Power of Gold SPIDER-MAN The Trap The Kidnap Caper The Cupcake Caper The Twinkie Takers Spider-Man and the Fly The Champ Will Power Spider-Man and Madam Web Legal Eagle Break the Bank Spider-Man Spoils a Snatch Spider-Man vs. the Chairman Spider-Man Meets the Home Wrecker Spider-Man Puts Himself in the Picture Spider-Man Meets June Jitsu Hotshot on the Block The Demolition Derby The Trap (same title as first Spider-Man HCA but different comic) Spider-Man Meets the Bikers The Rescue Spider-Man vs. the Human Computer Spider-Man’s Dream Girl THE THING The Thing and the Ultimate Weapon Sunday Punch Earthly Delights A Lesson to Be Learned THOR The False Immortal The Ding-A-Ling Family A Glutton for Gold Good Overcomes Evil The Storm Meets Its Master The Ricochet Monster

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 23

TM

by M a r k

Take Your Swee’pea to Work Day Popeye the Perfect Enunciation Man traded the Seven Seas for the asphalt jungle as a career guide in a series of unusual 1972 one-shots produced

by Charlton Comics but bearing the King Features brand.

Popeye TM & © King Features Syndicate (KFS).

Arnold

The iconic Popeye the Sailor Man first appeared in an infamous 1929 episode of the Thimble Theatre comic strip by Elzie Segar, a strip that had already been in publication for ten years.

Though primarily known for spinach, in subsequent years Popeye has shilled pasta, oatmeal, chicken, and more. He has also frequently appeared in comic books, with adventures published over the years by Dave McKay, Dell, Gold Key, King Features, Charlton, Whitman, Harvey, Ocean Comics, and most recently IDW, in conjunction with Yoe Books.

Lesser known during that lengthy comic-book run is Popeye’s turn as a vocational guidance counselor through a series of comic books and other products published in 1972, designed to help individuals with their careers.

Popeye expert Fred Grandinetti tells BACK ISSUE, “This was part of an educational series produced by King Features Syndicate. There were different artists on the series and in several issues, Popeye wore his white sailor’s uniform, although drawn as he appeared in the comic strip at the time. The white sailor’s suit, primarily seen in the later theatrical cartoons and 1960–1962 television films [see RetroFan #12—ed.], was used to expedite the artwork, white being easier to color in than black.”

Who actually published the Popeye Career Guidance comics? They look like Charlton comics,

even though it says King Features all over them.

Grandinetti explains, “All production was done at Charlton. George Wildman was in charge of the project and assigned Joe Gill to write the scripts.

I’m pretty sure they received a list of topics and probably a lot of information from the educational advisors employed by King. These comic books spawned a board game and a filmstrip series.”

George Wildman was an artist who had a lengthy tenure as the illustrator of Popeye when Charlton published the title from 1967–1977. From 1971– 1985, Wildman was a top editor at Charlton Comics.

He also produced Popeye artwork for various products due to the continued popularity of the character.

While at Charlton, Wildman remarked of the Popeye educational project, “We’re producing a series of Popeye Career Guidance books. They guide young children, 4th- to 6th-grade level, as to what endeavor in life they might like to become involved.

Say, if you want to be a plumber, a doctor, a dentist, a toolmaker, a painter. We worked with the Department of Education and the Department of Labor, as well as various universities. We have eight Learn to Read books which involve many of the King titles, and now we’re getting into bilingual comic books.”

A major criticism for using Popeye in the series was that he suddenly spoke perfect English, which was felt to be out of character by fans.

24 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

POPEYE CAREER GUIDANCE COMIC BOOKS

Checklist and creator credits courtesy of Donnie Pitchford.

Popeye and…

Health Careers (E1, 1972) Art: George Wildman Environmental Careers (E2, R2, 1972) Art: George Wildman Communications and Media Careers (E3, 1972) Art: Ray Dirgo Transportation Careers (E4, 1972) Art: Tony Tallarico Construction Careers (E5, 1972) Art: Jeff Keate Consumer and Homemaking Careers (E6, 1972) Art: Frank Roberge Manufacturing Careers (E7, 1972) Art: Paul Fung, Jr. Hospitality and Recreation Careers (E8, 1972) Art: Tony Di Preta

Marketing and Distribution Careers (E9, 1972) Art: Ray Dirgo Business and Office Careers (E10, 1973) Art: Tony Tallarico Public Service Careers (E11, 1972) Art: Tony Di Preta Personal Service Careers (E12, 1972) Art: Frank Roberge Marine Science Careers (E13, 1972) Art: Jeff Keate Fine Arts and Humanities Careers (E14, 1972) Art: Paul Fung, Jr. Agri-Business-Natural Resources Careers (E15, 1972) Art: George Wildman Scripts by Joe Gill

Et tu, Brutus?

Depictions of Popeye’s frenemy ranged from (top left) the comic strip version and (top right) the version seen on the 1960–1962 animated Popeye cartoon show. (bottom) The Vocational Guidance campaign included a tie-in Popeye game and filmstrip set. From the collection of Donnie Pitchford.

Popeye TM & © KFS.

“This was produced at a time when educational media was amped up,” Grandinetti explains. “For example, the first season of ABC’s Super Friends and Yogi’s Ark Lark were educational-based (and both flopped).” Although Super Friends in this format was short-lived, that cartoon was successful with several retoolings for over a decade as Hanna-Barbera Productions toned down the educational aspects of the series.

Donnie Pitchford, the artist on the Lum and Abner comic strip and a George Wildman historian, informs BACK ISSUE that he has no idea how well he Popeye Career Guidance comics sold, but he does know how they were distributed, which was different than that for traditional comic books. “It’s my understanding they were sold to schools by King Features Syndicate,” Pitchford says.

Fred Grandinetti emphasizes, “Although George Wildman was credited for drawing each cover, he did not.”

Donnie Pitchford explains how this confusion began. “George Wildman told me that King Features Syndicate wanted his name on all the covers, regardless of who drew them. I know the Jeff Keate issue on Construction Careers had a lot of paste-ups on the original art.

Somewhere I saw photos of the art and some of the [pasted-up] heads had fallen off. Apparently [Keate] wasn’t able to produce Popeye art that satisfied George. I’m not sure, but it looked as if someone—Nick Cuti, maybe?—went back and pasted Wildman heads over many of the ones Keate had drawn.”

Why didn’t Wildman actually draw the Popeye Career Guidance comics’ covers? “George and I spoke by phone in 1974,” Pitchford recalls, “and he talked about how busy he was during the whole process. So busy was the editor-cartoonist, he was unable to illustrate Popeye #120 (June 1973).” Wildman confessed to Pitchford that “it broke my heart, but all I had time to do was the cover,” disrupting his amazing run on the title, but his editorial duties and the increased workload from the Career Guidance project left him with no choice.

Pitchford’s familiarity with these unusual Popeye comics goes way back. “When I was in high school,” he recalls, “our [guidance] counselor had mailers on the educational series and knew I was into comics and Popeye and gave them to me. ‘This is George Wildman’s art,’ I said, explaining how he and I had been corresponding since 1971.”

Of the Popeye Career Guidance comics, Pitchford remarks, “They’re pretty dry and some of the art is weak, in my opinion.

King Features Syndicate also did filmstrips, audio tapes, and posters [as part of this series].”

MARK ARNOLD is a pop culture historian with over 15 books to his credit on subjects ranging from The Monkees, The Beatles, Underdog, Pink Panther, Cracked, Disney, Dennis the Menace, and more. He is currently at work on another Disney book and a book on the history of MAD.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 25

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In the Golden Age of comic books, fan clubs were ubiquitous, whether the Junior Justice Society of America, Captain America’s Sentinels of Liberty, or the Captain Marvel Club. Membership dues—typically a dime—bought treasures such as certificates, cloth patches, and an all-important key to the secret code messages that were appearing in each respective hero’s comic books of the 1940s.

Few of these mushrooming groups were as popular or longlived as the Supermen of America, however. In the July 1946 issue of Coronet, future Superman editor Mort Weisinger placed its membership in the 1,300,000 range! At the club’s height, Anthony Tollin reported in 1975’s Amazing World of DC Comics #8, it “required a full-time staff employee just to process the memberships and count the dimes.”

As the Supermen of America faded away in early 1966, DC Comics’ rival Marvel Comics was a year into its own fan club, the Merry Marvel Marching Society. By all accounts, the MMMS was a great success, another avenue for writer-editor Stan Lee to promote the

Wells

TM & © DC Comics.

by J o h n

Marvel brand. Publisher Martin Goodman merely saw the club as a drain on profits and the Marching Society membership kits wound up absorbed into a licensed mail-order business based in California. The rechristened Marvelmania International proved to a disaster, one that saw the licensee pocket much of the profits before skipping town. Alerted by prominent fans (and Marvelmania employees) Mark Evanier and Steve Sherman, Marvel was forced to disavow the operation in its December 1971-dated issues.

At DC, its then-Vice President Sol Harrison remained convinced that the comic-book fan club could make a comeback. “I prepared a new membership kit for the Supermen of America some time ago,” he revealed in 1975’s Amazing World of DC Comics #8, “but we lacked the facilities to put it into operation. I’d like to see the club return in conjunction with the upcoming Super DC Convention, and the idea seems to have strong support throughout the office.

Perhaps sometime soon, the Supermen of America will return, bigger and better than ever before.”

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 27

NO MERE SUPERMEN OF AMERICA REVIVAL

Were You a Charter Member? (top) A sampling of DC Super-Stars Society applications. (bottom) Michael Catron at his desk in DC’s editorial department, 1979.

Photo by José Luís Garcia-López and courtesy of Mr. Catron.

TM & © DC Comics.

Paul Levitz tells BACK ISSUE that it “came in from someone who was supposedly a wise mail order By the time the convention took place in February 1976 maven.” Mike Gold—then-DC’s publicist—adds, [see BACK ISSUE #100], DC’s President and Publisher “It was an outside deal licensed by Sol Harrison, Carmine Infantino had been ousted. In the aftermath, with his oversight.”

What developed was far more ambitious the 58-year-old company man Harrison found than a mere resurrection of the Supermen himself sharing top billing with 28-yearof America. Published in all DC titles on old Jenette Kahn, as President to her sale in September 1977, a full-page Publisher. While Kahn placed her focus “Important Notice” announced that on the comics themselves, Harrison “applications are now being taken continued to deal with licensing for the following chapters of the DC and merchandising matters that had Super-Stars Society.” In short, this been prominent in his VP post. would actually be 12 different clubs By late 1977, enthusiasm for the devoted to Batman, Black Lightning, Kahn-era DC Comics was building DC Battle Stars, the Flash, Green and plans were afoot for a major Arrow and Black Canary, Green Lantern, expansion of the line in June 1978. The the Justice League, the Justice DC Explosion would add additional Society, the Legion of Super-Heroes, pages and content to each title as Shazam!, Superman, and Wonder paul levitz well as take advantage of anticipated Woman. interest in the Superman movie © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons.

“Send a long stamped selfslated to premiere in the summer.

For Harrison, this represented an opportunity to addressed envelope with your name, address and finally revive a DC fan club. Like the Marvelmania the chapter you prefer,” the text continued. “You deal, it seems to have originated with an outside will receive a detailed application form explaining the DC Super-Stars Society, the items in your chapter’s agency, but no one recalls details. membership package, and your special chapter questionnaire, testing your knowledge of your favorite DC Super-Stars.”

The lineup of subjects is superhero-centric, with the DC Battle Stars the conspicuous exception. Absent were such period headliners as Jonah Hex, Kamandi, and Warlord. Curiously, Aquaman—then a familiar presence from TV’s Super Friends as well as his own title—was also missing. In a nod to their fan-favorite status, Green Arrow and Black Canary were granted their own chapter. Although the power couple didn’t have their own book, they were co-stars in Green Lantern, regulars in Justice League of America, and prominent in their own features in World’s Finest Comics.

Michael Catron, who was hired as Mike Gold’s assistant in 1977, wasn’t involved in the first phase of the project and tells BACK ISSUE that he wasn’t aware of how the chapter lineup was selected. “I think it was a pretty robust group to get things rolling. Given the time period, I think [Hex, Kamandi, and Warlord] would have been good candidates for a second round of chapters, Warlord especially. If the project had been successful, I’m sure chapters would have come and gone as time went by.”

House ads continued to tout the Society through the end of 1977, resuming in June and July 1978 once the DC Explosion was underway. Unknown to readers, however, the Explosion had become an Implosion after Warner Communications’ higher-ups forced DC to abandon the expansion and scale back its publication slate. Remaining creative assignments were shuffled as necessary, jobs were lost, and a pervasive sense of gloom settled over the DC office.

Mike Gold left his publicist job as of August 18.

“I was expecting to be fired, too,” Michael Catron recalls, “but instead, Sol put me in charge of the DC Super-Stars Society. I was to fulfill all the plans and promises of the club, so I was supervising and coordinating all the details, kind of like an editor would oversee a comic book (though this was less complicated). I reported to Joe Orlando and Sol Harrison.”

Catron put together a dozen four-page applications that followed the same template. Page one featured spot art with the star of the respective

28 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

chapter, a note on the interior trivia quiz, and a plug for the contents of the official membership packet: “For only $4.00, you get a poster, transfers for your T-shirt (or wherever you want to put them), a DC patch, membership card and certificate, and more! You’re even entitled to discounts to subscriptions to our fan publications, The Amazing World of DC Comics and Direct Currents, and many of our comics, as well as many items of DC superhero merchandise.”

Page two featured an “application quiz,” comprising 12 multiple choice trivia questions. “Be careful— some questions may have more than one correct answer!” Page three was an illustrated promotion of the contents of the membership packet, which included the DC Super-Stars Society shield and the revelation that the poster was illustrated by José Luís Garcia-López. The final page included more spot art and a coupon to mail-in for the packet. Readers were expected to abide by the honor system and include their quiz score on the coupon.

“I wrote the quiz questions,” Catron said, “and I had a lot of fun doing it, too! They were easy multiple-choice questions, and I amused myself (and, hopefully, the potential club members) with some of the incorrect choices offered as answers.

“Joe reviewed and approved everything I wrote except for one thing. That was the use of ‘Appassionata von Climax’ as one of the wrong answers. I argued for it, even starting out by explaining who the character was, but then I caught myself and shut up. As if Joe Orlando had never read Li’l Abner! Boy, did I feel dumb. I lost that one, but I still thought it was funny. Maybe even funnier, I no longer remember what the question was. (I’d been in my high school’s production of the Broadway play— I played Evil Eye Fleagle—so the name just came to me naturally. Even Al Capp wondered how that name got past the syndicate and America’s newspaper editors. Well, it didn’t get past Joe Orlando.)

“I also did the paste-up on those things. Sol told me to write up an invoice, and when I handed it in, he said that that was too much and cut it in half.

(As far as I’m concerned, DC still owes me 20 bucks.)”

Catron adds, “Art was ready to go for the decal.

I don’t think any decals or patches were made. But that poster was a big project for me at the time. I made a list of the characters who were to be on it and gave that list to José Luis García-López, who penciled it. (He asked me which of the Legionnaires could fly. I told him all of them. Flight rings, you know.) Then I had to take it around to each of the editors for them to approve ‘their’ characters. Joe Kubert gave out a deep laugh, whipped out his pencil, and re-drew Sgt. Rock’s machine gun on the spot. Others may have made other corrections.

Once it was inked, I never saw it again. (You can bet Sol didn’t slash José’s invoice!) It’s good to hear that it saw print eventually, but that was after I’d gone.

That’s one souvenir I’d like to get a copy of.”

“As for the number of people who received the introductory mailing, the number that sticks in my mind is 2,000 spread over the 12 chapters. Whatever the number, it was too low to support the project.

Which is kind of sad, because that was still more than my annual salary at the time ($7,500 plus a certain amount of freelance work).

“I don’t know what the print runs were,” Catron continues. “But I believe they all saw print. It was likely all one big print order, but that doesn’t necessarily mean an equal number of copies were printed for each chapter.

YOU’LL BELIEVE A FAN CLUB CAN’T FLY

In August, the decision came down to delay the launch of the club. On further reflection, The Comics Journal #44 (Jan. 1979) reported, DC opted to cancel the project altogether. All the membership fees were refunded along with letters of apology. Also cancelled at the same time was the in-house fanzine Amazing World of DC Comics, which had been published sporadically since 1974.

Michael Catron adds, “The Comics Journal #42 reported that DC had conducted a survey earlier that year that said Jonah Hex had the oldest readership (high school to college), the war books had the youngest (approximately 12 and almost exclusively male). The average age for the superhero reader was about 15. The mystery books had an odd split. About half were around 12 years old. The other half were about 20, but nearly two-thirds of that second half were female. Maybe those age groups were just too old for a fan club. Maybe the $4.00 membership price was too high. (The minimum wage in 1978 was $2.65 an hour. DC’s main titles had jumped from 35¢ to 50¢—with a few more pages added— and then the Implosion happened, and DC dropped the extra pages and dropped the price down to 40¢.)

Or maybe the whole idea of fan clubs was passé.

“The big issue seems to have been that the response didn’t meet DC’s expectations. DC had had great success with the Supermen of America

Are You a Batfan?

All four pages of the DC SuperStars Society’s Batman Chapter membership application.

TM & © DC Comics.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 29

A Groovy Grab-Bag A sample of the DC Super-Stars Society membership kit page from the Green Lantern application.

TM & © DC Comics.

club back in the day, and with the first Christopher Reeve Superman movie on the horizon, they may have thought the time was right for a revival with a modern twist. If it was a way to pull in some extra merchandising money to piggyback off the anticipated success of the movie, the timing was all wrong. They started advertising it before the movie but cancelled it mere months before the movie came out. But keep in mind that that was also the year of the DC Implosion, so marginal stuff (like my job) was in the budget crosshairs.

“The day before Thanksgiving in 1978, Sol eliminated my job and fired me. I returned to Fantagraphics and got back to work on The Comics Journal, which was then still in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

Superman’s world premiere— a big, splashy celebritystudded event—was held at the Kennedy Center on December 10, just weeks later. As a local media company, The Comics Journal got press passes to the premiere. All the movie’s stars were there. Arnold Schwarzenegger showed up.

So did Barbara Walters. So did Senator Edward Kennedy. President Carter and his family were the guests of honor.

“There were lots of bigwigs and hangers-on from Warner Communications in attendance, but almost no one from DC Comics. Jenette Kahn, Sol Harrison, his secretary, one or two business execs—and that was it. Warner had flown in Joe Shuster and his sister, Jean Shuster Peavy. (Jerry Siegel said he couldn’t attend for health reasons.) But no DC editors, writers, artists, or staffers.

You should have seen the look on Sol’s face when I paused briefly while talking to Christopher Reeve and said hi. It so happened that that day was Sol’s 50th wedding anniversary. I took a picture of him and his wife going into the Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater to see the movie and later gave it to him as a memento.”

The success of Superman: The Movie inevitably led to a reconsideration of the fan club. In May 1980, a letter from Sol Harrison arrived in the mailboxes of many DC fans with an invitation to become a charter member of the Superman Club. (Addresses had been culled from subscriber lists to Direct Currents, et al.)

Though specific to the Man of Steel, the advertised contents of the membership packet mostly paralleled what had been offered two years earlier. The García-López poster was finally printed and offered as part of a deal. And, in a blow against inflation, admission to the club cost $3.00 rather than $4.00. Fans who didn’t receive the

“personal” invitation from Harrison were alerted to ads appearing in DC issues released in April and May 1980.

The central club image was a Curt Swan/Murphy Andersonillustrated drawing originally done for the cover of 1973’s Amazing World of Superman tabloid. Within the introductory packet, fans found the image on a membership certificate, secret code card, book cover, sticker, and an iron-on transfer.

Once again produced out of Joe Orlando’s office, the project was mostly left in the hands of his new assistant Laurie Sutton. “I’m the Editorin-Chief of your Superman Fan Club Newsletter,” she declared in an insert. “My role is something like Perry White’s, only I don’t mind being called Chief! It’s my job to bring you all the exciting news of what’s happening in the world of Superman.”

Curiously, the insert also promoted a seeming continuation of the DC Super-Stars with a coupon at the bottom offering to enroll fans in “your favorite hero’s chapter” for $1.00. On this abbreviated version of the 1978 list, Black Lightning, the DC Battle Stars, Green Arrow and Black Canary, and the Justice Society were no longer offered. Regardless of the lineup, nothing ever came of the other chapters and they were never mentioned again.

“The official newsletter of the DC Superman Club” was, naturally, the Daily Planet. Since 1976, Bob Rozakis had been creating Daily Planet mock-ups for DC’s comics that plugged upcoming releases, and the newsletter borrowed a bit of its content. Along with items on forthcoming Superman issues, the newsletter also reprinted Fred Hembeck cartoons that first appeared in the fourcolor Planet. Rozakis speculates, “I may have written some parts of the Daily Planet newsletters as well. The info about upcoming issues and such may have been adapted from what I was doing in the Daily Planet pages in the comics. And I was the one who had the relationship with Fred Hembeck.”

Also included in the first issue of the newsletter (Sept.–Oct. 1980) was a photo of Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster during the previous February 29’s Superman birthday gala.

Sol Harrison appeared in a photo himself, joined by newlywed fans Al and Barb Schroeder, who began corresponding after their letters appeared in various Action Comics and Superman text pages.

Regular features in the newsletter included a coded message (lest the secret card go unused), a letters column, and promotional

Test Your Knowledge (opposite page) Sample DC Super-Stars Society Quiz pages, sans keys.

TM & © DC Comics.

30 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 31

Super Swag

deals for various Superman products: special offers “for members only!” Those items included a novelty Superman phone, T-shirts, belt buckles, magnetic dartboards, and a Superman: The Movie portfolio. The promotion of the forthcoming Superman II—due for a US premiere in June 1981—was a requirement for every edition of the newsletter. Issue #1 added that “Michael Uslan is producing a major Batman movie! This time the Masked Manhunter will be played straight, as he is in the comics.” Little did readers expect that it would be another nine years before the film’s debut.

“Since I was working for Joe Orlando in the Licensing Department at the time, the newsletter was probably one of many ‘special projects’ that went through that office,” Laurie Sutton tells BACK ISSUE. “My duties would most likely have been organizing the newsletter copy and illustrations and making sure they got to the Production Department on time. I don’t think I had any real editorial power. I didn’t write the newsletter copy. I’m not sure who did.”

Issue #2 of the newsletter maintained its bimonthly schedule, its November–December 1980 edition promoting Superman issues due before Christmas and including a snapshot of the Man of Steel’s balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Other features commemorated editor Julius Schwartz’s birthday and a “Year of the Batman” celebration at the New York Comic Art Convention.

The schedule collapsed in 1981. A third issue (labeled #4) promoted comics on sale in March, while a fourth (labeled #3) played up June and July’s Superman spotlights such as a Fortress of Solitude tabloid and the Krypton Chronicles miniseries. In issue #1, readers were challenged to “guess closest to the actual number of Superman products produced so far.” The fourth declared that “no one hit on the correct number…” and didn’t bother to say what it was! “But don’t feel bad—we’re sending everyone a prize! Everyone who entered the contest will get a nifty full color pin-up of the Man of Steel.”

Assorted membership items from 1980’s Superman Club. (bottom left) Superman Club editor-in-chief Laurie Sutton greets the members. Note that the form touts some of the DC Super-Stars Society carryovers. (bottom right) Page 1 of issue #1 of the Superman Club’s Daily Planet newsletter.

All content and characters TM & © DC Comics, except Spider-Man, Hulk, Dr. Doom, and related Marvel characters TM & © Marvel.

32 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

You’ll Believe a Fan Can Cry… …when you spy this gorgeous Superman Club poster by José Luis García-López and realize you’ll probably never own this rarity.

TM & © DC Comics.

According to issue #3, the fan club’s members numbered “almost 3,000,” a level that evidently didn’t justify the resources being put into the project. Moreover, the Superman Club’s foremost champion—Sol Harrison—had retired effective February 13, 1981.

Months after the fourth issue, subscribers received a letter from DC Vice President Paul Levitz. Confirming that the fan club had been discontinued, he offered members “a 40% discount on as many subscriptions to our magazines as you would like to take.”

It goes without saying that 3,000 was a far cry from the 1,300,000 members of the fan club’s heyday. Much had changed since the 1940s, not the least of which was the fact that the average superhero reader was now a teenager. For kids that age in 1980, the very idea of fan clubs seemed juvenile and dated. Could the DC Super-Stars Society—which was targeting fans already immersed

in the comics mythology—have succeeded where the Superman Fan Club did not? We’ll never know the answer. It’s telling, though, that Marvel’s own latter-day attempt at a fan club—1991–1992’s Wild Agents of Marvel—also failed after only a few years despite courting an older readership and distributing some 24,000 initial membership packets.

The spirit of the fan club lives on in the digital age through a plethora of social media platforms. DC Comics’ Facebook page may not offer an exclusive decoder card, but six million-plus followers is nothing to sneeze at.

Thank you to Michael Catron, Mike Gold, Paul Levitz, Bob Rozakis, and Laurie Sutton for their help with this article as well as Legion Lad and Andy Mangels for sharing scans of the rare copies of the DC Super-Stars Society mailings.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 33

Each of the 12 DC Super-Stars Society pamphlets followed a four-page template: an introduction with spot art featuring that chapter’s subject, a trivia quiz, an ad touting club swag, and a coupon for the respective subject along with trivia quiz answers and another piece of artwork. In the list that follows, I’ve identified the source of the various heroic poses along with a sample trivia question from each of the mailings (save for DC Battle-Stars, a copy of which was unavailable). – John Wells

Batman

The Flash

a. b. c. d.

Red Tornado.

Johnny Thunder.

Starman.

Speedy.

Green Lantern

Page One artwork by Michael Golden and P. Craig Russell from Batman Family #18 (June–July 1978). Page Four artwork by Dick Giordano from an unidentified source.

Before he became the Batman’s partner, Robin the Teen Wonder was known only as Dick Grayson, a performer in his parents’ trapeze act. They called themselves the Flying Graysons and performed regularly for what circus? a. The Haly Circus. b. The Bewsima Bros. Circus. c. Hill’s Circus. d. Mangum’s Mammoth Circus.

All images TM & © DC Comics.

Black Lightning

Page One artwork by Trevor Von Eeden and Frank Springer from Black Lightning #1 (Apr. 1977). Page Four artwork by Rich Buckler and Vince Colletta from Black Lightning #9 (May 1979).

Who created Black Lightning for DC Comics? a. Jack C. Harris. b. Trevor Von Eeden. c. Tony Isabella. d. Jenette Kahn.

Page One artwork by Carmine Infantino, José Luis García-López, and Bob Oksner from Limited Collectors’ Edition #C-48 (Oct.–Nov. 1976). Page Four artwork

by George Tuska and Vince Colletta from The World’s Greatest Super-Heroes newspaper strip (Apr. 12, 1978).

What award did the Rogues’ Gallery present Flash with? a. A “Roscoe.” b. A “Bridwell” c. “Hero we’d most like to see dead.” d. “Most overrated superhero.”

Green Arrow and Black Canary

Page One artwork by Sal Amendola (Green Arrow) and Trevor Von Eeden and Vince Colletta (Black Canary) from World’s Finest Comics #247 (Oct.–Nov. 1977) and WFC #251 (June–July 1978), respectively. Page Four artwork by George Tuska and Vince Colletta from World’s Finest Comics #250 (Apr.–May 1978).

Green Arrow is not Black Canary’s first partner. With whom did she first team up?

Page One artwork by Mike Grell from Green Lantern #90 (Aug.–Sept. 1976).

Page Four artwork by Mike Grell from Green Lantern #90 (Aug.–Sept. 1976).

Name the renegade Green Lantern. a. Sinestro. b. Katma Tui. c. Dlog Ekim d. Jack Adler.

Justice League of America

Page One artwork by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano from Super DC Calendar 1976. Page Four artwork by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano from Super DC Calendar 1976.

Which of the following Justice Leaguers was the first to get married? a. Aquaman. b. Hawkgirl. c. Elongated Man. d. Atom.

34 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Justice Society of America

Shazam!

Wonder Woman

Page One artwork by Joe Staton and Dick Giordano from All-Star Comics #74 (Sept.–Oct. 1978). Page Four artwork

by Joe Staton and Dick Giordano from All-Star Comics #74 (Sept.–Oct. 1978).

Page One artwork by Don Newton and Kurt Schaffenberger from World’s Finest Comics #253 (Oct.–Nov. 1978). Page Four artwork by Don Newton and Kurt Schaffenberger from Shazam! #35 (May–June 1978).

Page One artwork by Dick Giordano from Whitman Giant Comics to Color (1976). Page Four artwork by Joe Staton and Frank Giacoia from Wonder Woman #245 (July 1978).

Which of these heroes was never an honorary member of the JSA? a. Superman. b. Wonder Woman. c. Spectre. d. Starman.

Legion of Super-Heroes

Page One artwork by Mike Grell and Vince Colletta from All-New Collectors’ Edition #C-55 (1978). Page Four artwork

by Jim Starlin and Joe Rubinstein from Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #239 (May 1978).

Clearly, Lightning Lad is the Legionnaire to face the most tragedies in his career.

In which order did those tragedies occur? a. Loss of his right arm, death, being orphaned. b. Being orphaned, loss of his right arm, death. c. Death, being orphaned, loss of his right arm. d. Death, loss of his right arm, being orphaned.

What are the names of the three boys who can become the three Lieutenant Marvels? a. Billy Batson, Billy Batson, Billy Batson. b. Jay Zilber, Ken Gale, Mike Flynn. c. Ace Morgan, Rocky Davis, Red Ryan. d. Cliff Steele, Larry Trainor, Niles Caulder.

Superman

A copy of the Wonder Woman questionnaire was not available at press time.

Answers: Batman: a.

Black Lightning: c.

The Flash: a.

Green Arrow and Black Canary: b.

Green Lantern: a.

Justice League of America: b.

Justice Society of America: c.

Legion of Super-Heroes: d.

Shazam: a.

Superman: c.

Page One artwork by Curt Swan from “Superman 1971” house ad. Page Four artwork by Neal Adams from Superman #252 (June 1972).

The first person from the bottle city of Kandor Superman ever met was… a. Van-Zee. b. Ak-Var. c. Professor Kimda d. Nor-Kann.

One Door Closes, Another Opens Paul Levitz’s letter to members of the aborted Superman Club, offering them discounted comic subscriptions.

TM & © DC Comics.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 35

36 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 37

by S t e v e n

Thompson

I Am Curious, Yellow Box (below) A Direct Currents column header from a 1966 DC title.

TM & © DC Comics.

In the mid-1960s, National Periodical Publications (DC Comics) began utilizing a lightning-logo’d yellow box labeled “Direct Currents” to plug upcoming comics.

“DC,” get it? The title and logo were revived in the 1970s for a column in issues of the company’s house fanzine The Amazing World of DC Comics. In the 1980s, it was done up yet again as a free subscription newsletter. In between those last two incarnations, however, in 1976, came the Direct Currents Hot-Line (herewith Hotline)!

It was a time of big changes for the publisher, with National finally, officially rechristened as DC Comics and Jenette Kahn chosen as the new captain of the four-color ship. The DC Explosion was upon us.

The idea for the Hotline originated with Mike Gold. New to DC at the time, in an interview some years later he said, “This was a whole different kettle of fish. Jenette wanted me to be DC’s first in-house PR and marketing department.”

Thinking outside of the box, he came up with the Hotline.

The way it worked was, you called the Hotline telephone number (which was updated once a week) and you were regaled by one of your favorite DC creators with news and information about upcoming comics and related topics via the modern miracle of tape-recorded messages. A few years later this would have been a pay call, but back then it was a toll free 1-800 number.

38 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

When you called during the day or early evening, you would almost always get a busy signal (remember those?), so you would have to keep trying over and over. I usually called when I woke up at 6 a.m. By March of 1977, the Hot-Line had more than tripled its initial number of callers and it was reported that a second line was installed.

Once you did get through, it was a treat to be able to attach voices and accents to the names you had seen for years in the comics. Each message lasted about five minutes, and some folks were better than others when it came to delivering them.

According to writer Paul Kupperberg, “For time and clarity’s sake, they were scripted.”

Kupperberg remembers the low-tech process for making the weekly recordings.

“As I recall, they were made on a cassette tape recorder in someone’s office.”

Longtime DC “Answer Man,” writer Bob Rozakis, adds that, “…it was really annoying when I’d get through the whole thing without a mistake and discover I’d run over by two seconds.

We learned to speak very quickly.”

As soon as I saw the ad in the comic books about the DC Hotline, I began to dial it regularly and got through nearly every week. I always jotted down all the information on a telephone pad! What follows here, then, though incomplete and subject to both my poor penmanship and the occasionally indecipherable recordings of the writers, artists, and editors involved, is a checklist of what was actually reported on the legendary Direct Currents Hotline. #1, Monday, Nov. 29, 1976 There may have been a couple before this, as some sources indicate the Hotline began on November 1, 1976, but this

was the one that was up when I first saw the ad in a then-current comic book. [Editor’s note: According to Walt Grogan’s Hotline transcripts that follow, Nov. 29 was indeed the first GREAT HERA! Hotline.] Writer Martin Pasko spoke, hawking ANOTHER BUSY DC Super-Stars, presentSIGNAL? ing the news that Superboy would begin appearing in Adventure, and that Aquaman’s title was returning. #2, Monday, Dec. 6, 1976 Denny O’ Neil reported that Superman Family and House of Mystery were now to be Dollar Comics and then plugged his own title, Kung-Fu Fighter. #3, Monday, Dec. 13, 1976 Newly appointed managing editor Joe Orlando hyped Jonah Hex, Scalphunter [in Weird Western Tales], Black Lightning, and artists Sergio Aragonés, Ed Davis, Gray Morrow, Howard Chaykin, and Alan Weiss. #4, Monday, Dec. 20, 1976 Publisher Jenette Kahn plugged the new line of Dollar Comics as having Neal Adams covers and then wished all of us fans a Merry Christmas. #5, Monday, Dec. 27, 1976 Editor Jack C. Harris told us that Inspector Henderson (from TV’s Adventures of Superman) was now a regular in Black Lightning, and plugged an upcoming team-ups of Batman and Deadman, as well as Kamandi and OMAC.

“Live,” from New York… …it’s the DC Direct Currents Hotline! This Kurt Schaffenbergerdrawn house ad from late 1976 got many of us to pick up the phone for the latest DC scoops!

(Phone number no longer valid.)

TM & © DC Comics.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 39

toll free?!?? what about the toll on my aching back?

#14, Friday, Apr. 8, 1977 Denny O’Neil plugged an upcoming Batman vs. Ra’s al Ghul story, becoming the first person I’d hear say that villain’s name aloud, so I noted his intended pronunciation.

He also plugged a new Batman novel and an upcoming Green Lantern/ Green Arrow storyline.

#15, Tuesday, May 3, 1977 Paul Kupperberg made his appearance to promote Aqualad stories in Adventure Comics, and the revived Showcase, to feature Power Girl and his own new Doom Patrol.

#7, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 1977 Bob Rozakis handled this week’s Hotline and confesses to BACK ISSUE, “I did it a number of times, as I recall, [but] I don’t remember the specifics of what I plugged in any individual week.” Well, this week, Bob pushed Shade, the Changing Man, his own Teen Titans, and an upcoming DC Special about dinosaurs. #8, Thursday, Jan. 20, 1977 Marty Pasko was back plugging Superman projects and giving us a heads-up on the one-shot 5 Star DC Super-Spectacular. He then offered get-well wishes for us all to quickly recover from the flu [see accompanying transcript for details—ed.]. #9, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 1977 Future DC president Paul Levitz spoke of lots of Legion of Super-Heroes news including a funeral, a wedding, an epic, and a JLA team-up! #10, Sunday, Feb. 6, 1977 Writer-editor Gerry Conway had just arrived at DC from Marvel and promoted his new projects, including the revival of Challengers of the Unknown with Swamp Thing, Deadman, and Rip Hunter. He also spoke of “The Atom’s Quest” (in Super-Team Family), the revived Mister Miracle and New Gods titles, and the Superman vs. Wonder Woman tabloid set in WWII. #11, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 1977 Jack C. Harris was back to summarize Shade, the Changing Man, the title he produced with Steve Ditko that has since become a cult favorite. #12, Thursday, Mar. 3, 1977 Mike Gold himself offered major news on the announced Superman movie! The lead had been cast and it would be an unknown actor named… “Richard Leeds!” Hey, that’s what I wrote down. Maybe he said Christopher Reeve and it crackled a bit too much or maybe Chris was so unknown that Mike actually got it wrong. Who knows?

Anyway, the director was announced as Omen director Richard Donner with a script by “a 007 screenwriter” [Bond screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz worked, uncredited, on the Superman script—ed.].

The best news for fans was that the movie was to be played straight, filmed worldwide, and have a huge special-effects budget! #13, Saturday, Mar. 27, 1977 Joe Orlando again, this time with news of an upcoming “Giant” monthly Legion of Super-Heroes title that would never materialize, a new JSA origin, and info on upcoming issues of Showcase, Men of War, Mister Miracle, and Aquaman.

#17, Tuesday, June 21, 1977 Al Milgrom explained his new editorial duties at DC on titles including Karate Kid, Weird Western Tales, Kamandi, and Legion of SuperHeroes. He also introduced callers to the Huntress, soon to be appearing in the newly super-sized (from a 60-cent Giant to a Dollar Comic) Batman Family title. #18, Sunday, July 24, 1977 Jenette Kahn returned for one final message, thanking fans for calling and explaining that the DC Hotline was soon to be replaced by an upcoming Direct Currents newsletter. Apparently, it had been too successful and Ma Bell had complained. Ms. Kahn also hinted at new Dollar Comics and new heroes like Firestorm on the horizon.

© DC Comics.

#6, Monday, Jan. 4, 1977 DC president Sol Harrison asked for the fans’ help in making sure their favorite DC books reached the newsstands, plugged the Superman movie contest, and wished us all a Happy New Year.

#16, Tuesday, May 24, 1977 After all these executives, editors, and writers, we finally got an artist! Marshall Rogers talked of two then-upcoming projects with Steve Englehart: the new Mister Miracle revival and the Detective Comics series that went on to define Batman for that era and strongly influence later Bat-artists and writers.

Then it was over. Again, I’m not sure if I just skipped weeks, couldn’t get through sometimes, or if they just quit updating the messages on a weekly basis, but it was fun while it lasted.

At its peak, the Hotline was said to be receiving more than 100,000 calls per week, often jamming the telephone lines.

Although DC shut theirs down, soon enough 1-800 numbers became ubiquitous, and then came 1-900 numbers, which charged a fee, usually either 50 cents or $1.00 per minute.

Pre-recorded message hotlines in general became big business for a while for pretty much the whole decade of the 1980s.

20th Century Fox had an 800 number to promote The Empire Strikes Back, with new weekly messages from Anthony Daniels and others. Marvel offered up a 900 number for X-Men news.

The sex mag industry was driven by its pre-recorded dirty message hotlines for years in the 1980s and 1990s, and TV commercials offered everything from trivia contests to live psychics for just a small fee per minute.

But all of these phone numbers had big superhero-boot footsteps to fill. Just as it had when it came to caped heroes, kid gangs, supergroups, and many other innovations, DC Comics had been there first!

You can hang up now.

STEVEN THOMPSON is Booksteve of Booksteve’s Library (http://booksteveslibrary.blogspot.com) and a dozen other blogs. He has written for Fantagraphics, TwoMorrows, Yoe Books, Bear Manor Media, and Time Capsule Productions.

40 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

SELECT DC DIRECT CURRENTS HOTLINE TRANSCRIPTS

by Walt Grogan

The DC Hotline was so popular that getting through to it was a hit-and-miss endeavor. It occurred to me that I should record these messages for easy playback and to avoid spending time re-dialing the number just to hear the weekly message over and over again. Using my trusty Panasonic RQ-414S Cassette Recorder, I recorded several of the messages.

Unfortunately, I didn’t record all of them and, in some cases, accidentally recorded over them. These nine messages have been sitting on an old cassette tape for over 40 years, which I recently unearthed from my collection. Enjoy.

DC Direct Currents Hotline #2 – Dec. 6, 1976 – Denny O’Neil – 00:40.12

© DC Comics.

Hi, this is the Hotline and I’m Denny O’Neil coming from DC’s offices in downtown Metropolis. I’d like to tell you about our big Dollar Comics, specifically Superman Family, which I happen to edit.

Let’s see… it’s 80 pages of all-new material and it’s got stories about Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Krypto (Superman’s pet), Superbaby (who was Superman when he was a cuddly, cute, little kid), and a really terrificlooking Supergirl.

You mystery freaks might be interested in another Dollar title, House of Mystery.

And in our regular-size comics, the specialty of the week is something I wrote, Kung-Fu Fighter. And in this issue, Richard Dragon battles the man who studied with Bruce Lee. Hey, thanks a lot for calling in and, uh, catch us next week, okay?

DC Direct Currents Hotline #3 – Dec. 13, 1976 – Joe Orlando – 00:38.52 Hi, DC fans, this is Joe Orlando!

If you think our new Dollar Comics are our only Christmas surprises, wait ’til you see Jonah Hex, now in his own comic. Weird Western will now premiere Scalphunter, a new breed of Western hero that Sergio Aragonés and I created and is written by Mike Fleisher, drawn by Dick Ayers and George Evans.

And first of the year, watch out for the adventures of our brand-new superhero, Black Lightning—written by Tony Isabella and drawn by our new, young super-artist, Trevor Von Eeden!

And speaking of super-artists, some of the new artists now working for DC are Gray Morrow, Howie Chaykin, Ed Davis, Al Weiss.

Thanks for calling… and call again next week.

ORLANDO? I WAS HOPING FOR SOL HARRISON!

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 41

DC Direct Currents Hotline #4 – Dec. 20, 1976 – Jenette Kahn – 00:41.73 I’m Jenette Kahn, and it’s a pleasure to be on the phone with you again.

We’ve been getting thousands of calls each day and it’s your boundless enthusiasm that’s been making all our efforts here at DC worthwhile.

Our roving reporters say you’ve been grabbing up our first Dollar Comics right and left. If you haven’t yet gotten Superman Family and House of Mystery, hang up, race out and get them, then call back.

Keep your eyes out for the next two Dollar Comics on sale January 15th… they’re World’s Finest and G.I. Combat, each with a beautiful cover by Neal Adams.

I particularly asked to talk to you this week because it’s the holiday season. I wanted to wish you the very, very best from me and the whole gang at DC. And please give us a call next week.

DC Direct Currents Hotline #5 – Dec. 27, 1976 – Jack C. Harris – 00:36.13

© DC Comics.

Hi, DC fans, I’m story editor Jack C. Harris. We’re beginning the new year with a new superhero, Black Lightning! His origin, told in the first two issues, is only the beginning.

In upcoming adventures, this bold, new hero faces one of the Justice League’s most fearsome foes and meets Inspector Henderson of Superman fame.

1977 also celebrates the fabulous 50th issue of Kamandi, when the Last Boy on Earth confronts OMAC in the most offbeat team-up ever! Written by Denny O’Neil and drawn by Dick Ayers and Alfredo Alcala.

I’d like to tell you about the Batman/Deadman team-up, but I’ve run out of time.

Thanks for calling, we’ll talk to you again next week.

DEADMAN, TEAMING WITH BAT-BRAIN? HOOHOO-HOO, DELICIOUS!

DC Direct Currents Hotline #6 – Jan. 4, 1977 – Sol Harrison – 00:42.93 This is Sol Harrison, president of DC Comics. I want to thank you for reading our magazines during 1976 and hope that you and your friends have a healthy and successful year in 1977.

We would also like to help you get any DC magazines you want. So, if your newsdealer doesn’t have all the titles you want to read, write to me at DC Comics, let me have the name and address of your newsdealer, and I’ll make sure he gets those titles.

Now, how would you like to be in the new Superman movie, that will start shooting soon? Details of a contest with more than 2500 prizes will soon appear in all DC comics. Watch for it.

And, by the way, have yourself a great New Year and call us again next week.

DC Direct Currents Hotline #8 – Jan. 20, 1977 – Marty Pasko – 01:15.35 Hi, this is Marty Pasko, again here at the DC Super-Stars Hotline! The flu season is upon us and while we hope you’re feeling great, chances are some of you might be calling in from a sick bed —which means that you probably have a good chance to get caught up on your comics reading. So, let me tell you about some of the things going down here at DC so that you don’t miss a thing.

Superman #310, now on sale, introduces Metallo II, the villain with vengeance on his mind and kryptonite in his heart.

In this issue, Lois Lane embarks upon a new career and the exciting developments in her new relationship with Superman will be carried through several issues. And next month’s issue

42 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

#311 begins a four-part extravaganza written by yours truly which I blushingly admit will knock your socks off!

Oh, one more thing before I split, some of you may have lamented the passing of Kobra from our lineup with issue #7.

Well, take heart, Kobra’s coming back, at least long enough to fight the Batman as one feature in a magazine called 5-Star Super-Hero Spectacular. It’s an 80-page Dollar Comic also starring Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Atom.

This annual is due to come at you in June and you’ll be hearing more about that as we put it together.

Listen, it may be the flu season, but we’re doing our best to get you through it cheerfully. So keep reading, take two aspirin, and call us next week.

DC Direct Currents Hotline #10 – Feb. 6, 1977 – Gerry Conway – 00:33.83 (clipped)

© DC Comics.

Hi, this is Gerry Conway, with a few words on some of my upcoming new projects. First of all, The Challengers of the Unknown.

In March, we are going to bring back that original feeling of mystery... challenging the unexplained and the inexplicable. Upcoming gueststars will include Swamp Thing, Deadman, and Rip Hunter.

And if that wasn’t all, in Super-Team [Family] #11, we start a four-parter entitled “The Atom’s Quest.” The Atom gains the help of such heroes as Flash, Supergirl, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Aquaman, and Captain Comet to save the life of Jean Loring.

In the future, Don Newton and I will be bringing back The Return of the New Gods, which will tie into the upcoming Mister Miracle series.

And I will be working on a special 72-page… [recording distorted, but mentions the Superman vs.

Wonder Woman tabloid].

I’LL NEVER FORGIVE CONWAY FOR KILLING GWEN STACY...

DC Direct Currents Hotline #16 – May 24, 1977 – Marshall Rogers – 00:38.84 This is the Direct Currents Hotline and I’m Marshall Rogers. Steve Englehart and I have started a terrific six-part story in Detective Comics. The Batman once again enters his Dark Knight world where he encounters his classic archenemy from the late-’30s, Professor Hugo Strange. By the middle of this summer, the Penguin joins in the action and before we’re through, the Joker and a surprise villain all join in to round out what amounts to be the greatest challenge the Dark Knight Detective has ever faced. All this starts off in Detective Comics #471, on sale the last day of May. Oh, one more thing… Steve and I have worked on the fantastic return of Mister Miracle, which will come your way in about one month. Watch out for it, we think you’ll like it.

Please call back in two weeks for more DC news.

DC Direct Currents Hotline #17 – June 21, 1977 – Al Milgrom – 00:38.00 Hi there, DC fans! I’m Al Milgrom and I’m a new editor here at DC. Some of you might be familiar with my work, as an artist, both here and at Marvel. Well, now I’m working full-time for DC and I plan to do my best to put out some of the most exciting comics published today.

These include Weird Western Tales, The Legion of Super-Heroes, and Kamandi. We’ll be making a few changes on Karate Kid, shifting the emphasis from the martial arts to superhero action.

And later this year, we’ll be launching a new superhero created by Gerry Conway [Firestorm the Nuclear Man].

Around that time, I’ll be taking over as editor of The Batman Family and we’ll be turning it into an 80-page Dollar Comic featuring Batman, Robin, Batgirl, Man-Bat, and the all-new Huntress, and that’s only the start.

Call back in two weeks for more DC news.

WALT GROGAN is a lifelong DC Comics fan from Chicago whose first comic was an unidentified World’s Finest he remembers “reading” in his crib in the early 1960s. Walt is a huge Fawcett/ DC Captain Marvel fan and runs the Marvel Family Web found at marvelfamily.com.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 43

THE RETRO COMICS EXPERIENCE!

TM

Edited by MICHAEL EURY, BACK ISSUE magazine celebrates comic books of the 1970s, 1980s, and today through recurring (and rotating) departments like “Pro2Pro” (dialogue between professionals), “BackStage Pass” (behind-the-scenes of comicsbased media), “Greatest Stories Never Told” (spotlighting unrealized comics series or stories), and more!

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GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ISSUE! A galaxy of comics stars discuss Marvel’s whitehot space team in the Guardians Interviews, including TOM DeFALCO, KEITH GIFFEN, ROB LIEFELD, AL MILGROM, MARY SKRENES, ROGER STERN, JIM VALENTINO, and more. Plus: Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon before the Guardians, with CHRIS CLAREMONT and MIKE MIGNOLA. Cover

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CONAN AND THE BARBARIANS! Celebrating the 50th anniversary of ROY THOMAS and BARRY WINDSOR-SMITH’s Conan #1! The Bronze Age Barbarian Boom, Top 50 Marvel Conan stories, Marvel’s Not-Quite Conans (from Kull to Skull), Arak–Son of Thunder, Warlord action figures, GRAY MORROW’s Edge of Chaos, and Conan the Barbarian at Dark Horse Comics. With an unused WINDSOR-SMITH Conan #9 cover.

Celebrates the 40TH ANNIVERSARY of MARV WOLFMAN and GEORGE PÉREZ’s New Teen Titans, featuring a guest editorial

by WOLFMAN and a PÉREZ tribute and art gallery! Plus: The New Teen Titans’ 40 GREATEST MOMENTS, the Titans in the media, hero histories of RAVEN, STARFIRE, and the PROTECTOR, and more! With a NEVER-BEFORE-PUBLISHED PÉREZ TITANS COVER from 1981!

SUPERHERO ROMANCE ISSUE! Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark’s many loves, Star Sapphire history, Bronze Age weddings, DeFALCO/ STERN Johnny Storm/Alicia Pro2Pro interview, Elongated Man and Wife, May-December romances, Supergirl’s Secret Marriage, and…

Aunt May and Doc Ock?? Featuring MIKE W. BARR, CARY BATES, STEVE ENGLEHART, BOB LAYTON, DENNY O’NEIL, and many more! Cover by DAVE GIBBONS.

HORRIFIC HEROES! With Bronze Age histories of Man-Thing, the Demon, and the Creeper, Atlas/Seaboard’s horrifying heroes, and Ghost Rider (Danny Ketch) rides again! Featuring the work of CHRIS CLAREMONT, GERRY CONWAY, ERNIE COLON, MICHAEL GOLDEN, JACK KIRBY, MIKE PLOOG, JAVIER SALTARES, MARK TEXIERA, and more. Man-Thing cover by RUDY NEBRES.

CREATOR-OWNED COMICS! Featuring in-depth histories of MATT WAGNER’s Mage and Grendel. Plus other indie sensations of the Bronze Age, including COLLEEN DORAN’s A Distant Soil, STAN SAKAI’s Usagi Yojimbo, STEVE PURCELL’s Sam & Max, JAMES DEAN SMITH’s Boris the Bear, and LARRY WELZ’s Cherry Poptart! With a fabulous Grendel cover by MATT WAGNER.

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SOLDIERS ISSUE! Sgt. Rock revivals, General Thunderbolt Ross, Beetle Bailey in comics, DC’s Blitzkrieg, War is Hell’s John Kowalski, Atlas’ savage soldiers, The ’Nam, Nth the Ultimate Ninja, and CONWAY and GARCIA-LOPEZ’s Cinder and Ashe.

Featuring CLAREMONT, DAVID, DIXON, GOLDEN, HAMA, KUBERT, LOEB, DON LOMAX, DOUG MURRAY, TUCCI, and more. BRIAN BOLLAND cover!

BRONZE AGE TV TIE-INS! TV-to-comic adaptations of the ’70s to ’90s, including Bionic Woman, Dark Shadows, Emergency, H. R. Pufnstuf, Hee Haw, Lost in Space (with BILL MUMY), Primus (with ROBERT BROWN), Sledge Hammer, Superboy, V, and others! Featuring BALD, BATES, CAMPITI, EVANIER, JOHN FRANCIS MOORE, SALICRUP, SAVIUK, SPARLING, STATON, WOLFMAN, and more!

TV TOON TIE-INS! Bronze Age HannaBarbera Comics, Underdog, Mighty Mouse, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Pink Panther, Battle of the Planets, and Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl. Bonus: SCOTT SHAW! digs up Captain Carrot’s roots! Featuring the work of BYRNE, COLON, ENGEL, EVANIER, FIELDS, MICHAEL GALLAGHER, WIN MORTIMER, NORRIS, SEVERIN, SKEATES, STATON, TALLARICO, TOTH, and more!

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by E d

Today there are numerous ways comic companies can reach fans to promote their new and upcoming books. There’s Facebook and Instagram, YouTube and Twitter, Previews magazine, and every publisher’s website promoting new and upcoming titles.

This hasn’t always been the case. During the Bronze Age, most new titles from comic-book publishers were promoted through house ads or, in the case of Marvel and DC, through Bullpen Bulletins and Direct Currents, respectively. In 1980, DC Comics, which was running behind Marvel Comics in sales, came up with an ingenious way to promote new books: a free 16-page preview of upcoming titles exclusively placed into editions of popular series.

These previews weren’t only great because they were free (although that was a plus), but also because you couldn’t get them anywhere else.

Barring one exception, these weren’t just pages that had been recycled from other comics. The

stories were totally new and introduced readers to the characters or concepts that were coming their way. The previews (sometimes referred to as prevues) were inserted into specially marked DC Comics cover-dated October 1980 through September 1985 and normally contained a cover, 14 pages of story, and a preview of the first issue cover. And did I mention they were (usually) free?

While most of the previews were for superhero books, readers also found previews of a horror title, a sword-and-sorcery book, a funny-animal comic, and comics based on licensed properties.

Readers never knew what they were going to get with each individual preview. Sometimes it would be an origin story, sometimes a story that took place before the first issue but left out key details in order to surprise readers with the first issue, and sometimes even a story that took place chronologically after the first issue to give readers a feel for what the new series was going to be like.

Lute

Pulse-Pounding Preview Premiere!

The Superman/GL team-up is often overlooked in DC Comics Presents #26 (Oct. 1980) due to the issue’s preview of The New Teen Titans! DCCP cover

by Jim Starlin, NTT preview cover by George Pérez and Dick Giordano.

TM & © DC Comics.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 45

PREVIEWING THE DC UNIVERSE

So, just where did the idea for the previews come from? Then-DC Comics manager of business affairs (and later publisher) Paul Levitz tells BACK ISSUE, “The idea could have come from [then-DC Comics publisher] Jenette [Kahn], Dick [Giordano], Bruce Bristow (marketing exec around the time, if he’d started by then), or me.

I’d love to think it was mine, but I can’t recall that.”

Former DC Comics’ Answer Man Bob Rozakis recalls, “The reason behind [the free previews] was to bring readers to a new title by doing the preview in one of the better-selling books. I don’t know that they were able to track how much of a difference it made.”

DC put a lot of faith in these previews, even promoting them heavily on the front cover of the books they appeared in. Many times, the preview would be mentioned in a border running down the left side of the cover. Sometimes the preview was promoted via other parts of the cover… but in two cases, no mention was even included on the cover at all.

The previews were inserted into a wide variety of titles. How were the previews paired with their host comics? According to Levitz, “Probably a combined editorial and marketing conversation.”

Not all of the new comics that premiered during this time period received the free preview treatment. Levitz reveals, “Generally previews were for things we thought could be breakthroughs.”

Now, on to the previews themselves!

Cover Copy Some previews, like Dial “H” for Hero, were touted on diagonal copy strips across the covers, as seen here from Legion of SuperHeroes #272 (Feb. 1981). Many were promoted with lettered blurbs like these excerpted examples for All-Star Squadron, Wonder Woman, Captain Carrot, and Blue Devil.

TM & © DC Comics.

NEW TEEN TITANS

In 1980, writer Marv Wolfman, artist George Pérez, and editor Len Wein came up with a revival of the Teen Titans titled The New Teen Titans. Although not sold on the concept initially, publisher Jenette Kahn was eventually convinced that the new book could work and ordered the concept to series. However, this new series didn’t make its debut in The New Teen Titans #1 (Nov. 1980) but instead in a specially produced preview comic that was inserted in the Superman team-up book DC Comics Presents #26 (Oct. 1980).

The preview reintroduced Teen Titan mainstays Robin the Boy Wonder, Kid Flash, and Wonder Girl, and occasional Titan (and Doom Patrol hanger-on) Beast Boy (now called the Changeling).

It also introduced a trio of new characters that would quickly become fan favorites—Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire. The revival of the teenage superhero team was a hit and would even rival Marvel’s merry mutants, the Uncanny X-Men, for popularity.

Underneath an exciting cover by Pérez with inks by artist Dick Giordano, the preview contained more action-packed artwork by the two dynamic artists, paired with a complex but inviting story

by Wolfman that quickly brought the readers into the action and had them wanting more. Robin, while battling terrorists inside of Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories (S.T.A.R. Labs), keeps having visions about a new incarnation of the Teen Titans including the bizarre new members. While the mystery surrounding these new characters and the reformation of the team would have to wait until the ongoing title began, the preview did a nice job of introducing the new characters, reminding readers about the already-established ones, and setting the tone for the series that paid respect to the previous incarnations of the teen group while paving the way to make these heroes more than just sidekicks.

Wolfman recounts to BACK ISSUE, “DC publisher Jenette Kahn really liked what George Pérez and I did with the first issue of New Teen Titans marv wolfman and she wanted to find a way to get reader’s attention. I’m not sure if it was Jenette or Paul Levitz who came up with the idea of doing a 16-page prequel story of the new Titans group that readers would get it as a free bonus in the back of DC Comics Presents. This was great for us as it allowed us to come up some backstory to the group that we hadn’t had enough room to do earlier [in issue #1].” While the preview was written after the first issue, Wolfman’s craftsmanship was so good that readers were unable to tell that was the case.

DIAL “H” FOR HERO

The Legion of Super-Heroes #272 (Feb. 1981) featured the second free preview, for a Dial “H” for Hero reboot. Dial “H” for Hero made its original appearance in House of Mystery #156 (Jan. 1966).

In its original incarnation, teenager Robby Reed used an unusual rotary dial to spell out the word “HERO,” causing him to be turned into a different superhero each time. In the new series, teenagers Chris King and Vicky Grant each had a dial that would turn them into a variety of different superheroes. The preview was written by Marv Wolfman, with art by Carmine Infantino, Frank Chiaramonte, and Dennis Jensen.

“Once the Titans preview did well, DC decided to introduce other new titles that way,” Wolfman tells BI. “There’s nothing of any great interest; it was just the regular ‘write and draw a 16-page prequel story,’ and we did it.”

During the preview, the teenagers turned into a succession of different superheroes, including Chris turning into the Moth and Mega Boy while Vicki turned into Futura and Sunspot.

The superheroes were new creations and not based on any preexisting DC characters. Instead, these superheroes were created by fans. The Dial “H” for Hero preview had a form for readers to fill out to submit their superhero ideas to the DC offices for characters that Chris and 46 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Vicky could turn in to. If an idea was used, the creative fan would get a Dial “H” T-shirt and have their name printed in the comic listed as the creator of the superhero. DC retained all rights to the superhero creations, though.

The preview ended on a cliffhanger that was resolved in the first issue of the ongoing Dial “H” series as Sunspot and Mega Boy battled the Flying Buttress. Like the original incarnation of the title, the reboot wasn’t featured in its own self-titled comic but could be found in Adventure Comics #479–490 (Mar. 1981–Feb. 1982) before moving on to the New Adventures of Superboy #28–49 (Apr. 1982–Jan. 1984) as a backup feature.

ALL-STAR SQUADRON

To the fans of TwoMorrows’ publications, it’s no secret that writer Roy Thomas is a huge fan of Golden Age comics. He was also no stranger to reviving Golden Age characters for the Bronze Age when he co-created the All-Star Squadron title for DC because he had previously written for Marvel new World War II-set adventures of Captain America, the original Human Torch, and the Sub-Mariner as the super-team called the Invaders.

Thomas, aided by penciler/co-creator Rich Buckler and inker Jerry Ordway (credited here as Jeremiah), gave readers an exciting preview of the All-Star Squadron book in Justice League of America #193 (Aug. 1981).

The creators delivered page after page of action and intrigue as Wonder Woman, Flash (Jay Garrick), and Green Lantern (Alan Scott) battled Solomon Grundy; Sandman (Wesley Dodds), Starman, and Johnny Thunder battled pirates on a floating pirate ship; Dr. Fate battled his foe Wotan; Batman, Robin, and Superman battled Professor Zodiak; and Hourman, Hakwman, and the Atom battled a creature that called himself the Monster. While the other heroes were defeated by their foes, Hourman, Hawkman, and Atom beat the Monster, who soon vanished but not before muttering the name Degaton.

Who, or what, was Degaton? Readers would have to wait until the ongoing series to find out the answer to this question as well as to see which characters from the preview would make it into the ongoing title, as the final page presented the first issue cover which teased, “Who will be the heroes of the All-Star Squadron?”

The preview story took place on December 6, 1941, the eve of the day that would live in infamy. Thomas tells BI, “I wanted All-Star Squadron to cover WWII, so, while fighting had been going on since 1939 (longer in Asia), I felt the eve of Pearl Harbor was the ideal place to start… even earlier than I started in The Invaders at Marvel.”

Thomas sheds light on an editorial decision that affected the covers of both the preview issue and the first issue of All-Star Squadron, as well as later covers on the new series.

“Even with the All-Star Squadron preview, I had nothing to do with the interior cover, as I was just asked there to do a 14-page story, plus space for an ad on the back ‘cover.’ Len Wein came up with the front ‘cover,’ which is shown by the fact that it never occurred to him there (or on that All-Star Squadron #1 cover, come to that) that Starman should be on both of them.

Particularly egregious was the preview cover, because instead of Starman Len had Rich Buckler draw the Shining Knight, who was never a member of the JSA unless one counted a 1970s issue or two (where he was never said to be in the group; he just popped up). Len was a great talent, and both covers were well done, especially the one for Squadron #1. But I think he resented the fact that the powers-that-be had told him that I was to be pretty much left alone so far as the storyline went, and I stuck my oar in (had to) re the art as well… so he held on firm to the covers, and wouldn’t discuss them with me or show them to me till they were done. I think it was too late to change the Squadron preview or #1 cover by the time I saw them. It was also his idea (which Rich particularly objected to, and helped lead to his leaving the book soon after) to have Joe Kubert do the covers… which I rather liked, in some ways, but I would’ve had Rich do the covers, because (a) he wanted to, and was a good cover artist, and (b) because I was not convinced that Kubert, though he was and is one of my favorite artists ever, would sell a

Create a Hero, Get a T-shirt (top) Cover to the Dial “H” for Hero preview. Art by Carmine Infantino and Bob Smith. (bottom). This release form concluded the preview, encouraging character submissions.

TM & © DC Comics.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 47

Savage Tales Mike Grell’s The Warlord #48 (Aug. 1981) hosted the preview for Roy Thomas and Ernie Colón’s Arak, Son of Thunder— the only of the DC 16-page previews that did not feature a cover.

TM & © DC Comics.

superhero comic as well as Rich might. I felt, alas, I was right about that… though I loved those covers.

Remember, I had been pained by the fact that Kubert’s Hawkman didn’t sell anywhere close to the Showcasetype numbers of Flash, Green Lantern, or even the Atom.” Although cover artists Buckler and Giordano inadvertently put the Shining Knight on the cover, this remains one of the best of the preview covers with a cornucopia of DC’s Earth-Two superheroes running straight towards the reader.

With the All-Star Squadron preview the creators did an exemplary job of introducing a plethora of characters and the Earth-Two World War II environment. They set up a mystery that would play out in the series, and kept readers wanting more.

ARAK, SON OF THUNDER

One of Thomas’ most popular works in comics was his writing of Marvel’s Conan the Barbarian, a swordand-sorcery title based on Robert E. Howard’s pulp character. When Thomas moved to DC, he wasn’t done with sword and sorcery. Along with his wife/

co-creator Dann Thomas, artist/co-creator Ernie Colón, and inker Tony DeZunga, Thomas did more than create a Conan clone, however, with Arak, Son of Thunder. Arak was a Native American in a fantasy setting that helped to set the book apart from the other titles on the newsstands at the time.

The Arak series made its debut in a preview in writer/ penciler Mike Grell’s The Warlord #48 (Aug. 1981), the perfect title to contain the Arak preview being a fellow sword-and-sorcery series. The preview story had Arak encounter Viking warriors, a mound of amber and jewels, a ruby-eyed dragon, and an apparent damsel in distress. “We wanted a more or less standalone story with Arak while he was with the Vikings,” Roy tells BI, “but not using them, as I wanted to introduce them in Arak #1. I think Dann had a lot to do with the ‘amber’ idea, but we’d both been researching such things. Not sure which came first, in this case. Certainly, the concept of the series for #1 came first, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Arak #1 weren’t plotted before we did the preview.”

With a jam-packed preview, the creators couldn’t wait to jump into the action with the story as there wasn’t even a proper cover but instead just started right in with the action on the first page, which acted more like a splash page. That page included the Arak logo and the creator credits (minus Dann Thomas). Unlike some of the other previews that took place prior to the first issue of the ongoing series, the Arak preview took place after the events of the premiere issue. Thomas reveals, “It takes place somewhere in the context of the first couple of issues, before Arak wanders off to meet Malagi, then Valda and Charlemagne.” Malagi, Valda, and Charlemagne (some of which are actual historical figures) play important roles in Arak, but readers wouldn’t be introduced to them until subsequent issues of the ongoing book.

This wasn’t the only time that readers would have the opportunity to read the Arak preview. In Arak, Son of Thunder #31 (Mar. 1984) the 16-page preview was re-presented, along with a framing sequence to make the story a full 22 pages. The framing sequence showed Arak’s reasoning for wanting the amber in the first place.

WONDER WOMAN

Writer Roy Thomas, penciler Gene Colan, and inker Romeo Tanghal became the new creators on Wonder Woman with issue #288 (Feb. 1982). Their tenure on the character actually began the month before with a preview in DC Comics Presents #41 (Jan. 1982). Along with Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman is one of DC Comics’ most popular characters, so you might not think she needed a preview for her series, but Thomas says, “DC considered this basically a relaunch and wanted to garner extra attention to it.”

So, how did Roy Thomas end up on Wonder Woman? “It was offered to me, but I wanted to do it… they may have known that. They wanted to relaunch WW in a big way, hence putting Colan and me on it. I loved doing it.”

While Superman’s “S” insignia and Batman’s bat emblem are iconic, easily recognizable, and marketable, Wonder Woman’s eagle symbol on her halter top that she had worn since her debut in 1942 couldn’t be trademarked, so a new icon had to be created. Instead of an eagle, the golden letter “W” was selected. However, trademarking the new symbol wasn’t as easy as DC Comics might have anticipated.

According to Thomas, “My understanding was that 48 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Joys from Roy (top left) The JSA (and friends) returned in Roy Thomas’ All-Star Squadron. Preview cover by Rich Buckler and Dick Giordano. (top right) The Amazon Princess as illo’ed

by Gene Colan and Romeo Tanghal on the Wonder Woman preview cover. (bottom) A page from Thomas’ Arak preview, drawn by Ernie Colón and Tony DeZuniga.

TM & © DC Comics.

someone—maybe [graphic designer] Milton Glaser—was hired to design that new ‘W’—and that they immediately had trouble with some hockey team that had a very similar one. Had to use as a design just a single letter that someone won’t already have registered as a logo.

“I hated the new ‘W’ symbol, and roy thomas tried in vain to get them at least add an Super Festivals. eagle’s head at the middle apex of the ‘W,’ which I was turned down on… though they did it later, of course, when it was their idea.”

With the new design in place, the next thing was to introduce it to readers so that it made sense within Wonder Woman’s continuity, and who better than Thomas to make that introduction? Story-wise, the change to her top was made so that Wonder Woman could show her support for women’s rights by wearing the ‘W,’ which in the story’s continuity represented the Wonder Woman Foundation, a organization created to help support women’s rights by using Wonder Woman’s popularity to garner support for the cause. The preview also had Wonder Woman save Steve Trevor from spies intent on discovering a secret in his briefcase. She also had to battle Hercules on her home turf of Themyscira (a.k.a. Paradise Island). Whew! That’s a lot for 16 pages, but the creators did a great job of keeping the story moving without missing a beat.

Thomas tells BI, “I enjoyed the [ongoing] book—until Paul Levitz first forced me to just dialogue three issues of all-the-DC-women, and then (far worse) insisted on taking up 1/3 of the book with a Huntress backup. At this point, both Gene and I began to feel that DC (not just Paul but Jenette Kahn) wouldn’t get out of the way of us as a creative team, and the two of us drifted away rather quickly. Gene had never wanted to do WW anyway, though I had. I don’t resent Paul’s doing what he did, by the way—he was management, at that time and had the power to do it—but I’m surprised then that they were surprised that I soon left the book, which they did not really want. Those first few issues, I believe, did pretty well saleswise, and I think the book sank a bit afterward. Well, at least they brought me back to do WW #300, which I enjoyed doing with Dann.”

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 49

BEYOND THE PREVIEWS To learn more about the series discussed in this article, please check out these previous editions of BACK ISSUE: • New Teen Titans (BI #33, 122) • Dial “H” for Hero (#32) • All-Star Squadron (#106) • Arak, Son of Thunder (#121) • Wonder Woman (#41) • Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! (#93, 129) • Night Force (#27) • Masters of the Universe (#16) • Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld (#24) • Batman and the Outsiders (#69, 73) • Blue Devil (#21, 77)

CAPTAIN CARROT AND HIS AMAZING ZOO CREW!

Funny-animal comics had been a mainstay of the Golden Age and early Silver Age, but by the Bronze Age had become virtually non-existent. Writer Roy Thomas and artist Scott Shaw! changed that when they co-created Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew! The title was previewed in The New Teen Titans #16 (Feb. 1982). “It was put into the New Teen Titans because that was DC’s top-selling book at the time,” Shaw! tells BACK ISSUE. “DC wanted to give the series the biggest exposure that they could, so they put it there.”

In the preview, Superman—of Earth-One— was thrust onto the world of Earth-C (a pun-filled world full of talking animals), where he met Roger Rodney Rabbit (the Rodney was added later so people wouldn’t confuse him with the star of the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit).

Roger, a comic-book writer/artist who worked on Super Squirrel and Just’a Lotta Animals comic books, inadvertently ate a carrot that had been doused with radiation, giving him super-strength, endurance, heightened hearing, super-vision powers, and a super-leap. He used a costume that was left over from an old costume party and called himself Captain Carrot. “Superman was used because he was the best possible gateway to enter Captain Carrot’s Earth,” Shaw! reveals.

“He’s also the best-known comic-book character.”

Bob Smith provided the inks on the preview, and Ross Andru penciled the Superman parts of the story. Captain Carrot’s origin story was concluded in the first issue of the ongoing series (Mar. 1982).

According to Shaw!, “The original idea was to do the ‘Super Squirrel and Just’a Lotta Animals’ book. DC didn’t want to do something that derivative, so we did scott shaw!

Captain Carrot instead.

Joe Crawford.

The book was like the Carl Barks’ Duck stories. They were light and funny, but had real stakes. There was drama in Barks’ stories, even though they starred ducks. We wanted to do the same thing with Captain Carrot.”

Regarding the preview, Roy Thomas recalls, “I’m pretty sure it was plotted before Captain Carrot #1, as a lead-in to it, but I can’t say that much more about it. I believe Gerry Conway mentioned the idea of a funny-animal group, probably because he had made a plot out of my storyline that re-introduced the [Hoppy the] Marvel Bunny into comics. That became the Just’a Lotta Animals. But DC decided they preferred

Instant Muscles Behold… the origin of Captain Carrot, from New Teen Titans #16 (Feb. 1982). Original Shaw!/Andru/Smith art courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com).

TM & © DC Comics.

50 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

new characters. Gerry dropped out along the line, and since Herb Trimpe had decided to stay at Marvel, the artist became Scott Shaw!, which made it, instantly, a very different kind of book from the ‘What If Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had done a funny-animal superhero comic?’ notion that was my starting point. (Of course, I’d been more Marvel Bunny-oriented when I’d had Sam Grainger, earlier, while I was at Marvel, work up a couple of color sketches for what would’ve been a revival of Timely’s Super-Rabbit as ‘Super-Rabbit the Marvel Bunny,’ preempting both names.”

The rest of Captain Carrot’s Zoo Crew team was Pig-Iron, Yankee Poodle, Rubber Duck, Alley-Kat-Abra, and Fastback, although shown in headshots on the cover to the preview and in a one-scene montage, weren’t actually introduced until the first issue of the ongoing book. Shaw! reveals, “If you look at Alley-KatAbra on the cover and then in the preview itself, you’ll notice some differences. On the cover she’s a black cat, but in the preview she’s white.

Joe Orlando did the designs for the characters.

Originally Joe designed Alley-Kat-Abra to be white, but I made her a black cat. So her depiction in the one picture from the preview is the only thing that remains of her original design.”

[Editor’s note: See our previous issue, BI #129, for more from Scott Shaw! about the Zoo Crew’s creation, including the early Orlando drawings.]

NIGHT FORCE

When the Comic Code Authority lifted some restrictions regarding horror comics during the 1970s, many new horror titles were created.

However, by the 1980s, most of those titles had been cancelled. That didn’t stop DC from publishing a new horror book in 1982. The inclusion of writer Marv Wolfman and penciler Gene Colan didn’t hurt either. The creators (along with inker Tom Palmer) produced a celebrated 1970s series when they were teamed up on Marvel’s long-running horror title Tomb of Dracula. Wolfman and Colan reunited (joined by new inker Bob Smith) at DC, where they co-created the horror comic Night Force.

The comic featured the mysterious Baron Winters, who brought together physic Vanessa Van Helsing (granddaughter of Dracula nemesis Abraham Van Helsing), investigative reporter Jack Gold, and parapsychology professor Donovan Caine to form the Night Force. While readers would have to wait until the debut of the ongoing title to find out why they were brought together, the preview did a great job of setting up the atmosphere of the series and introducing the characters.

The cover to the Night Force preview, which appeared in The New Teen Titans #21 (July 1982), was misleading. It depicted knights battling on horseback.

This scene does appear in the story, but it’s not the focus of the book. The preview opened with Baron Winters and his pet tiger Merlin watching this medieval

Not Necessarily Your Average DC Title (left) Cover to the Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew preview. Zoo Crew pencils by Scott Shaw!, Superman pencils by Ross Andru. (right) Look closely and you’ll find Baron Winters on this unusual cover for the Night Force preview. Cover pencils

by Gene Colan.

Bob Smith inked both covers.

TM & © DC Comics.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 51

Feel the Night Fever (left) Baron Winters assembles his reluctant team of ghostbusters in the Night Force preview. (right) This house ad for the preview teases the concept’s earlier title, Dark Force.

TM & © DC Comics.

battle before walking through a doorway into the more modern setting of his Georgetown Washington, DC, home, which was a main setting of the title. The Night Force series lasted for 14 fear-fraught issues.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

“By the Power of Grayskull!” Many people are familiar with this oath being bellowed by the meek Adam before he transformed into the muscled He-Man on the popular animated television series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe from Filmation. Masters of the Universe (MOTU), often referred to as “He-Man,” was created by Mattel Toys as an action-figure line that became one of the top-selling toy lines of the 1980s. The action figures included mini-comics that had been produced in-house by Mattel.

With a hot property on their hands, Mattel wanted to promote it as much as possible, so He-Man and his companions were also featured in a three-issue miniseries from DC. The miniseries was preceded by two other MOTU comics from DC. The first was an

appearance in the Superman team-up book DC Comics Presents #47 (July 1982), in which Superman was transported to the magical Eternia, the home world of He-Man, where the Man of Steel met He-Man and helped him defeat his arch-nemesis Skeletor and his minion Beast Man. This was followed by a free preview comic that worked both as a prequel to the miniseries and a sequel to the DCCP story. The preview presented readers with more of Eternia and its inhabitants than the DCCP issue did. However, the Man of Steel was back on the magical planet again, teaming up with He-Man this time to keep Skeletor from obtaining both halves of the power sword that would allow the villain to rule Eternia.

The DCCP issue and the preview comic were written by Paul Kupperberg, with pencils by legendary Superman artist Curt Swan. Mike DeCarlo inked the DCCP issue, while Dave Hunt inked the preview. Kupperberg also wrote DC’s Masters of the Universe miniseries, with artwork by George Tuska and Alfredo Alcala.

Although the preview works nicely as an introduction for the three-issue miniseries as well as a sequel to the DCCP issue, writer Kupperberg doesn’t recall that originally being the case. “I’m not sure what the plans were, really,” he tells BI. “I was just a typewriter for hire on the job and I wrote what they asked me for, an issue of DC Comics Presents, the insert, and the three-issue miniseries that followed it.”

While the other previews up to this point were only featured in one comic book, the MOTU preview was featured in numerous comics cover-dated November 1982, including Action #537, All-Star Squadron #15, Arak #15, Batman #353, New Teen Titans #25, Superman #377, and Warlord #63. Kupperberg discloses, “All the 16-page previews before MOTU were used to introduce new DC series to readers who were already familiar with the creators or subject of the new series, like Arak in Warlord, another sword-and-sorcery

52 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

He-Men in Action Action #537’s Buckler/Giordano cover barely hints at the treasure inside: the Masters of the Universe preview comic by Kupperberg, Swan, and Hunt, sampled in these three pages.

Superman and Action Comics TM & © DC Comics. Masters of the Universe © Mattel.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 53

Headline Filler type for placement only.

Final copy to come.

Final copy to come.

Final copy to come.

Final copy to come. ©2021 ???

Boss Ross Andru (left) Ross Andru’s dynamic cover, inked by Dick Giordano, to the Masters of the Universe preview. (right) Andru again (inked by Mike DeCarlo), on the Atari Force preview opening page.

Masters of the Universe © Mattel.

Atari Force © Atari, Inc.

title, or Night Force in New Teen Titans, both written

by Marv Wolfman. The MOTU preview, however, was an advertising and licensing deal between DC Comics and Mattel. Mattel was paying DC to not only introduce their new toy line alongside one of the most recognizable brand names in pop culture, but to produce the insert, and buy what amounted to 16-pages of advertising space in the 16 or so titles that comprised whatever ad grouping the company sold its ad space in.” This method of showcasing the free preview in multiple titles would remain the case with other previews based on licensed material.

Sometimes the license holder is heavy-handed and intimately involved with comic tie-ins. According to Kupperberg, this wasn’t the case with Mattel Toys.

“We received very little input from Mattel. Mark Ellis, then-Mattel’s Director of Marketing for Male Action Toys, came to DC with a big box of He-Man action figure prototypes and spent an hour or so with editor Dave Manak and me, sitting on the conference room floor, playing with the figures and Castle Grayskull and answering our questions about the characters and the MOTU backstory. His answers were mostly, ‘That’s a good question,’ ‘You guys figure that out,’ or ‘We were hoping you would have an idea.’ They really hadn’t developed much beyond character names and powers and some basic background information; the details were left up to us. No restrictions were given, and I don’t recall having to revise or redo anything we came up with because they were uncomfortable with it.”

ATARI FORCE

Many fans (this author included) probably first encountered an Atari Force comic as a mini-comic that was packed in with specially marked Atari 2600 video games. The comics were included with the Berzerk, Defender, Galazian, Phoenix, and Star Raiders games.

These mini-comics were written by Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas, with artwork by Giordano, Gil Kane, Andru, and Mike DeCarlo. The comic that was packaged with the Phoenix game, while originally called “Phoenix” to tie in with the video game, was renamed as “Code Name: Liberator” and reprinted as a free preview comic in DC Comics Presents #52 and New Teen Titans #27 (both cover-dated Jan. 1983).

This was the only preview comic to be a reprint.

The story was written by Conway and illustrated

by Andru and Giordano. In the preview, Commander Martin Champion puts pilot Bob Marcus (whose brother David Marcus had been killed by the Malaglon, the evil aliens that were the villains of the story) in charge of the attack ship Liberator. Marcus fuels his rage at the death of his brother into his attacks on the Malaglon, eventually winning a major victory against the aliens. The last page of the preview proclaimed, “Atari Force rages on! Atari Force comics are available free with Atari VCS game cartridges in Defender, Bezerk, and Star Raiders.”

In an interview with Keith Veronese for his 2013 book Plugged In: Comics Professionals Working in the Video Game Industry, Conway recalled, “Jenette Kahn

54 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

had the notion of synergy between Atari and DC Comics, and Jenette, Dick Giordano, Roy Thomas, and I went to a meeting in San Francisco with the Atari people. The meeting was all about cross-pollinating between the two companies. I don’t know who came up with the idea of Atari Force, per se, but we did think about it at those initial stages as a comic book that would be attached to the video games. The idea of developing it as a separate comic book came later, and I was interested in that because I am a science-fiction fan and I wanted to do a science-fiction-type series.”

The preview comic wouldn’t be the only full-sized Atari Force comic. An ongoing Atari Force series lasted for 20 issues (cover-dated Jan. 1984–Aug. 1985). The ongoing title was written by Conway, with artwork by penciler José Luis García-López. This time it wasn’t reprinted material but all-new stories that took place a quarter of a century later and featured Commander Champion along with a new team including Champion’s son Christopher Champion, a.k.a.

Tempest. “I lucked out with getting José Luis García-López,” stated Conway in Plugged In. “I’d love to see Atari Force collected one day. Jose did some amazing work.”

Conway admitted, “I didn’t consider the miniature Atari Force comic that was packaged with the Atari cartridges as representative of what I really wanted to do—it was a corporate work at the time, with nothing too extreme since we didn’t really know who our audience was for that material. I created the separate Atari Force series for DC Comics later on, which was done out of enjoyment, for myself, and for the readership in the comics medium. That material was much better established and conceived than the material we did earlier that was packaged with the video games.”

[Editor’s note: DC’s Atari Force will eventually be spotlighted in BACK ISSUE in a video-games-themed edition.]

Jewels in DC’s Crown (top) Ernie Colón art graced the cover of the Amethyst preview. (bottom) Flash foe the Trickster takes on DC’s newest superhero on Paris Cullins’ cover to the Blue Devil preview.

TM & © DC Comics.

AMETHYST, PRINCESS OF GEMWORLD

A preview for the 12-issue maxiseries Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld appeared in Legion of Super-Heroes #298 (Apr. 1983).

Writer/co-creator Dan Mishkin tells BI, “DC had hit upon these previews as a way of introducing new series, and we were asked to do one for Amethyst. We did the preview before the first issue and Ernie Colón drew it on scratchboard, which was gorgeous (to the extent that the comics printing process of the time could show off that gorgeousness), but way too labor-intensive for him to do 12 full issues [that way]. It did help him come up with the look of the characters, though, Dark Opal in particular.”

Why was Legion chosen to host the Amethyst preview?

“I don’t know who decided the preview should go in LSH,” Mishkin says, “but I assume it had something to do with that book’s popularity, and maybe the fact that Karen Berger was editing it as well as Amethyst.”

The maxiseries and preview were written by Mishkin and Gary Cohn, with artwork by Colón, who also lettered the preview, which revolved around Princess Amethyst’s fight to defend Gemworld from the villainous Dark Opal and his followers.

Originally, Amethyst wasn’t envisioned as a 12-issue maxiseries. Mishkin recalls, “Gary and I were asked by editor Dave Manak to come up with an ongoing series for one of DC’s ‘mystery’ anthology books—we were already writing ‘I… Vampire,’ which we did not create, in House of Mystery.

We came up with an idea we called ‘The Changeling’—using the word in its folkloric sense of a magical creature switched at birth with a human infant—and it was meant to tap into the childhood idea that one might be adopted, have a secret, special past or lineage. I think the opening page of the first issue of Amethyst even talks about that common childhood dream.

What we did not have right away was the window dressing of what that lineage might be, but somewhere in the process, the word ‘amethyst’ popped into my head and I called Gary.

From there, the whole idea of the Gemworld took shape. And it became its own standalone series instead of a regular eightpager in one of the anthologies.”

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They’re Brave and They’re Bold (right) The Caped Crusader picks his pals on the Batman and the Outsiders preview cover. (below) Batman coins the name of his new team on the concluding page. Art

by Jim Aparo.

TM & © DC Comics.

The preview story saw Princess Amethyst and her in the second half of the maxi—but without what you would call a lot of chronological precision. Best companion Granch on a mission to the Well place to shoehorn it in is sometime during of Vision, which was guarded by Dark the period covered by issues #3 and 4.”

Opal. The story ended with Amethyst The preview comic provided comic falling through a portal and changing fans with a great introduction to into a teenaged girl named Amy. Amethyst, Dark Opal, and the rest Readers would have to wait until the of Gemworld without revealing all maxiseries went on sale to find out the secrets that Mishkin, Cohn, and what was going on.

Colon had in store for readers to Miskin reveals, “In the preview experience in the maxiseries. we wanted to start out with the magic of the Gemworld and leave Amethyst’s Earth identity as a BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS surprise—the opposite of what issue In Batman and the Outsiders (BATO) #1 needed to do—so we came up #1 (Aug. 1983), Batman felt betrayed mike w. barr with a story that we figured would by the Justice League of America fit somewhere in the first half of (JLA) when he asked for their help Super Fesitvals. the maxiseries—there’s at least one to save his friend Lucius Fox, but the reference to Amethyst’s having stolen water from the JLA declined to help him, citing diplomatic reasons.

Well of Vision (which is what happens in the preview) So Batman quit the JLA and formed the Outsiders, a new team featuring two old favorites that did not currently have their own comics (Black Lightning and Metamorpho) and three newly created characters (Halo, Geo-Force, and Katana). However, BATO #1 wasn’t the team’s first appearance, because they received the preview treatment in the final issue of the Batman team-up book The Brave and the Bold, #200 (July 1983). Batman and the Outsiders replaced The Brave and the Bold (B&B) as DC’s third monthly Batman title (along with Detective Comics and Batman). B&B was the perfect comic to place the preview because both titles featured Batman in a team capacity, with art by longtime B&B illustrator Jim Aparo, and fans from the former comic would hopefully want to pick up the new comic.

BATO writer and co-creator Mike W. Barr states, “To my knowledge, no other comics were considered

56 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Not Just for Duke Fans This eye-popping pinup by Paris Cullins concluded the Blue Devil preview in Fury of Firestorm #24 (June 1984), psyching up readers for the release of Blue Devil #1.

TM & © DC Comics.

[for the BATO preview], nor would have been appropriate, since BATO was taking B&B’s place on the schedule. I don’t think the special preview was my idea; it was probably developed by the editor, Len Wein, and other members of DC editorial putting their heads together. I thought it was a good idea, so I went along. The preview was the first story written about the Outsiders.”

Chronologically, the BATO preview took place after issue Batman and the Outsiders #3 (Oct. 1983). The preview found the new team saving the captured villain Miklos/Agent Orange (later seen in the third issue) from being killed by his followers, the People’s Army, so that he couldn’t reveal any of their plans.

Each member of the new team was featured, and the preview gave readers a good idea of who they were and their skill set. All in all, it was a nice preview to the title and its stars.

Barr reveals, “I had roughly plotted out the chronology for the first six months or so, so it was a relatively simple matter to drop the preview into that overview. After much fretting about when the preview story took place, I chose to place it after #3 because I like to make the readers work a little, to figure out sometimes how the overall structure of a series fits together, and because I thought those readers who had read every issue would feel rewarded when they saw how the whole plan came together. In BATO #9 (Apr. 1984), I tied the lead story with the Halo backup in much the same way.”

Barr reveals some startling information about the BATO preview to BACK ISSUE. “While many of the other previews were labeled ‘free,’ the BATO preview was, I think, not free; its production costs were incorporated into the cost of the book ($1.50). I did the math on this not long after it was published and recall finding that other, similarly sized titles containing previews were less costly. But nobody called us on this.”

DC does get a “pass” on, this but only barely because while the other previews were listed as free, the BATO preview was billed as a special preview with the word “free” being nowhere in sight.

Readers wouldn’t know the full story behind the Blue Devil character from the preview in The Fury of Firestorm #24 (June 1984) since that story only saw Cassidy don the suit to defeat perennial Flash villain the Trickster. The plot point involving magic wasn’t revealed until the first issue of the ongoing dan mishkin title. Mishkin reveals, “That was tricky. We didn’t want to tip the ending of the first issue, so we BLUE DEVIL © Luigi Novi / Wikimedia Commons. had to tell a story that was exciting and that got Not all of DC’s superhero comics during this time period featured traditional characters. Case in point was Blue Devil, readers interested in the characters without introducing the magical from the writing team of Amethyst’s Mishkin and Cohn and the art elements. One of the things we always wanted to do with Blue Devil team of Paris Cullins and Pablo Marcos. It starred stuntman/special was to plant him squarely in the DC Universe, so using the Trickster effects wiz Dan Cassidy, who created the Blue Devil suit for a movie in the preview was a natural choice, and one that I think drew the prop. Cassidy became stuck in the Blue Devil suit, which had also readers more into BD’s world.

“That was more a matter of necessity than anything else— become enhanced by a demon’s magic, and began adventures as a reluctant superhero. Mishkin recalls, “Once again, this was Dave the reveal at the end of issue #1 had to be at the end of issue #1.

Manak asking us for an ongoing series to take up part of a book like But I should also say that in general we enjoyed playing with readers’ Unexpected each month. In this case, Dave asked Gary and me to expectations of what a superhero comic would be, beginning with come up with something for Steve Ditko to draw, so here came this the fact that Dan Cassidy did not want to be a superhero. And on a bouncy, kinetic character that we thought was evocative of Spider- side note: I wrote the solicitation copy that would appear in Previews Man, the Creeper, and other Ditko creations. From there, Gary and I and because of the lead time, I couldn’t make reference to Cassidy’s have different recollections: Gary remembers that Dave showed Ditko being trapped in his suit till probably issue #4. These were the days our pitch and the response was, ‘Not my kind of thing,’ whereas before everyone wanted to know what was going to happen in a I recall that we met Ditko at the DC offices and he said that if he comic or a movie or a TV show before it came out, something about was going to do a brand-new character, he’d want it to be one that today’s readers and viewers I still don’t understand.

“I’m almost certain we wrote the preview first,” Mishkin he was the sole creator of. Memory is a funny thing, but I can see enough overlap in what each of us recalls to explain what we came recollects, “although the first issue would have been loosely plotted away with separately. And then, of course, as with Amethyst, Blue in the pitch before that. I’ve got no clue about the decision to do a Devil became its own solo book once Paris came on board, and we preview at all or where to place it—maybe someone at DC felt that put together a pretty impressive pitch (one that [editorial director] Firestorm fans would be attracted to Blue Devil—but of course we were happy to be paid to write more pages.”

Dick Giordano held out as an example of how to do such things).”

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 57

Masters of the Universe Meets Road Warrior (left) Flash Force 2000 revs into combat on this preview cover by Denys Cowan and Sal Trapani. (right) A page from the preview.

Flash Force 2000 © Matchbox.

FLASH FORCE 2000

together. I’m pretty sure that the basic setup came from When you hear the name “Flash” associated with a DC comic, Matchbox: It was Masters of the Universe meets Road Warrior, you automatically think of the Scarlet Speedster. However, in the basically. Those properties were hugely popular and current case of Flash Force 2000, you would be mistaken because back then. All of the vehicles and the two opposing bases were there was absolutely no connection between the quick-footed already established in the toy set, and we just had to create some human characters to populate that world. When we were superhero and this preview.

You’ve probably also never heard of this title before. That’s naming the female character, I recall Andy suggesting that I because there wasn’t a Flash Force 2000 ongoing series, name her after my wife, Shari. Our approach was pretty simplistic and ‘big-foot,’ but the project was very clearly aimed at the a miniseries, or even a one-shot issue produced. Instead, very young readers who were likely to buy the toys.”

DC Comics produced a free preview for a Flash Force In discussing the developmental materials provided 2000 toy line from Matchbox. The preview was to the comic team, Fleming says, “I don’t recall ever written by Robert Loren Fleming and illustrated by seeing the actual toys. We certainly had drawings Denys Cowan and Sal Trapani. of them, and possibly photographs. I don’t know In the preview, readers were introduced whether the artist(s) had access to the toys— to Flash Ryder, son of Dr. Malcolm Ryder, it certainly would’ve helped! I’m not a toy collector who oversaw Flash Force. Flash’s twin brother myself, and I never owned any toy cars even as a Damon (not an identical twin since they don’t child… except the [Corgi] Batmobile! look anything alike) inadvertently helped their “There were four Flash Force 2000 mini-comics enemies the Dark Seekers, led by Terminus 3, that came packaged with the toys,” Fleming continues. gain control of Dr. Ryder’s car fleet that was built “They all had new covers and 15-page stories that to help save the humans. However, Dr. Ryder didn’t in any way duplicate the 16-page preview. had also built a special fleet including talking robert loren fleming I wrote them all, but I’m not sure whether Denys cars and a helicopter just for Flash. The premise Cowan drew all of them. I dimly recollect that of the preview and the toy line was the battle Comicvine. there was one or two other artists involved, but between Flash Ryder’s Flash Force and the Dark Seekers. Speaking of the toys, while most of the other previews the mini-comics don’t contain any credits.” The mini-comics showcased the cover to the first issue as the last page of the included “Rumble at Rampage Rock” (included with the Rampage preview, since there was no ongoing book coming, the last page Rock playset) and the “Battle at Flash Force Base” (included with the Flash Force Base playset). contained an ad for the toy line.

As with other preview comics based on licensed properties, Fleming reveals, “Flash Force 2000 was one of those assignments that you take in order to stay alive in the industry Flash Force 2000 was inserted into more than just one DC comic until something better comes along. You do it for the money, book from titles cover-dated November 1984, including BATO for the visibility, and mostly to establish working relationships #15, Blue Devil #6, Detective #544, Green Lantern #182, and with artists and editors who you respect. Andy Helfer was a World’s Finest #305. While perusing your local comic-book rack, good writer and a hands-on editor, and I ended up working you’d be hard-pressed to know that there was a free preview in on other projects for him later, including a Ragman series. He and any of these books, though, because there wasn’t any indication I developed the characters and concepts in Flash Force 2000 on their front covers.

58 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

M.A.S.K.

The final comic to be featured in a special preview was M.A.S.K. It was placed into several titles that were cover-dated September 1985, including Batman #287, Justice League of America #242, Superman #411, and World’s Finest #319.

Like with Flash Force 2000, the M.A.S.K. preview wasn’t advertised on the covers of these issues.

Written by Michael L. Fleisher, penciled by Mike Chen, and inked by Joe del Beato, M.A.S.K. was based on a toy line developed by Kenner. M.A.S.K, an acronym for Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, was the story of racecar driver/special agent Matt Trakker, who, along with his team, fought against the forces of V.E.N.O.M. (Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem) by using special vehicles that could transform into attack vehicles.

The rest of Matt’s team was also introduced: Hondo Maclean (Striker), Alex Sector (Megabyte), Bruce Sato (Magic), Dusty Hayes (Powerkeg), Brad Turner (Chopper), and Buddy Hawkes (Clutch). Like the members of G.I. Joe, each of the M.A.S.K. team members had a codename that corresponded to their job function or personality. The preview, which also introduced readers to Matt’s adopted son Scott and Scott’s robotic companion T-Bob, saw M.A.S.K. save Mount Rushmore from being destroyed

by V.E.N.O.M. The preview was followed by a fourissue miniseries cover dated December 1985–March 1986 and a nine-issue ongoing book cover-dated February 1987–October 1987.

“I believe Dick Giordano, then editor-inchief of DC Comics, suggested me for the job to editor Andy Helfer,” recalls M.A.S.K. preview artist and longtime Kubert School instructor Mike Chen. “Dick used to be an instructor at the Joe Kubert School, which I had attended. While I did not have him as a teacher there, I believe that he had a soft spot for the school’s alumni.”

According to del Beato, “I was living in mike chen Vineland [New Jersey] at the time of M.A.S.K. I had bused it up to DC the day I got the Facebook. preview job. When I got there, Andy [Helfer] had the Boulder Hill playset on his desk and asked me what I thought of it. I told him I liked it and thought it had potential. He said, ‘Do the preview job and take the set with you!’ So we tried to refit it into the box it came from, but you know how that can go. I was walking back to Port Authority with plastic boulders and gas pumps flying out [of the box] every so many feet. [laughs] “The job went pretty smooth, though.

The cover that we did for the preview was nice. It appeared in most of the DC comics that month! I remember when I handed in that cover, Andy Helfer was quite pleased! joe del beato He goes, ‘It looks like [Jack] Kirby and [Joe] New Jersey Collectors Con. Sinnott!’ High praise indeed.”

The M.A.S.K. preview featured a special effect popular in comics of the day: color holds, a.k.a. surprints. “The preview had some surprints in it,” del Beato says, “which were new to the industry at the time. That entailed having to ink on an overlay so it could be printed in a solid color without a black line around it. A lot of care and expense was taken to produce the preview.

It was said to be one of the best-looking previews to appear!”

From the Toybox (top) Cover to the M.A.S.K. preview.

Art by Mike Chen and Joe del Beato. (bottom) A page from the preview, featuring a color hold on a sound effect.

M.A.S.K. © Kenner.

THE END OF THE EXPERIMENT

The previews offered outstanding material from some of the top creators of the Bronze Age. They also brought readers to titles they might not otherwise have picked up if it hadn’t been for the free sneak peek. As to the success of the free previews, Paul Levitz remarks, “Hard to measure, as there was no ‘control’—but we felt it worked well, especially at a time when few comic-shop customers were regular DC readers, and this gave an added incentive to try things like Titans.”

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 59

The Main Event, Indeed!

Many of the previews ended with one-page blurbs for their respective series, like this one from DC Comics Presents #26— but none of the previewed titles equaled the popularity and endurance of the first, The New Teen Titans.

TM & © DC Comics.

COLLECTED PREVIEWS

While there is not an all-encompassing collection of DC Comics’ 16-page free previews, several of them can be found in various collected editions. The following is a list of the collected editions that contain the preview comics associated with that title (as of this writing).

• The New Teen Titans Tor Books paperback (1982) • The New Teen Titans Archives vol. 1 (1999) • Showcase Presents: Batman and the Outsiders vol. 1 (2007) • The New Teen Titans Omnibus vol. 1 (2011) • Showcase Presents: All-Star Squadron vol. 1 (2012) • Showcase Presents: Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld vol. 1 (2012) • The New Teen Titans vol. 1 trade paperback (2014) • Showcase Presents: Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! (2014) • The New Teen Titans Omnibus vol. 1 2nd Edition (2014) • Showcase Presents: Blue Devil (2016) • Batman and the Outsiders vol. 1 (2017) • Night Force by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan: The Complete Collection (2017) • He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Omnibus (2019)

Why did these previews stop appearing? While Levitz doesn’t have a definitive answer, he offers plausible speculations. “Maybe by that time most of our new launches were on better [Baxter] paper than the regular titles, so a preview wouldn’t match? Or the new launches were comic shop only/non-Code so we couldn’t run them in the Code titles?”

Not only did these previews offer readers an advanced look at upcoming titles, they revealed just how varied DC’s comic-book output was—superhero comics aplenty, but also horror, science fiction, funny animals, and sword and sorcery. Many publishers stuck to just one genre, but not DC, and it showed in these previews. The previews demonstrated the company’s willingness to diversify their comic line and take chances with books and genres.

Collectors take note: The New Teen Titans preview in DC Comics Presents #26 can run into big money, but the rest of the previews are usually fairly easy to locate at reasonable prices. They are sometimes even included in collected editions of their respective titles (see sidebar). Many creators and fans still have fond memories of these previews.

Paul Kupperberg admits, “​I liked them, as a reader. It was cool to get a free peek at something new, instead of asking readers to pay for it, sight unseen. I also liked them as a writer: it was an extra story to get paid for!

I can’t say how effective they were as a marketing tool, that is, how many readers they brought in versus what it cost to create/print/ship those 50% extra pages, but I’m sure they created a lot of goodwill with readers.”

“I guess maybe the New Teen Titans one was pretty good,” observes Mike Chen. “While I loved the Bob Haney/Nick Cardy [Teen Titans] series, what Marv Wolfman and George Pérez created was magical.”

Dan Mishkin states, “My thoughts are pretty much the same as yours—they were a great idea. But my sense was that a lot of DC’s marketing back then was flying blind, and I don’t know if even they got back good data on whether the previews made a difference.”

“My favorite was the New Teen Titans preview in DC Comics Presents because I wrote the backup story in that book,” discloses Bob Rozakis. “It pumped up the value of the issue and I had a bunch of comp copies.”

When asked about his favorite, Roy Thomas remarks, “The All-Star Squadron one, of course. How can you ask?” Thomas adds, “I saw [the previews] as descended from the WW strip that was sandwiched into All-Star #8 (Jan. 1942) decades earlier... except that was not advertised on the cover and was clearly done at the last minute.”

“My favorite preview comic is Atari Force,” acknowledges Scott Shaw! “I’m not a gamer, but I love the science-fiction aspect. It was different from a lot of the stuff that was out there at the time.

Although he didn’t do the preview, I also love José Luis García-López’s non-American tone on the ongoing book.”

When asked about his favorite free preview, Levitz responds, “You have to love all your children.”

Mike W. Barr mirrors the author’s thoughts: “The free previews were a good idea in that they gave readers a sample of a new series without making them pay for it. Who doesn’t love to receive something for free?”

The author would like to thank Mike W. Barr, Mike Chen, Joe del Beato, Robert Loren Fleming, Paul Kupperberg, Paul Levitz, Dan Mishkin, Bob Rozakis, Scott Shaw!, Roy Thomas, and Marv Wolfman for their invaluable assistance with this article.

ED LUTE is a geek, Elementary teacher, and freelance writer, amongst other things. He misses the special previews that graced many DC comics not only because he really likes getting free stuff (although that was a part of it), but because these previews offered material not available anywhere else. He loved revisiting these classic previews to share them with you. His work has also appeared in The Jack Kirby Collector.

60 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

TM

by E r i c

Bresler

Throughout the first half of the 1990s, a period of unprecedented growth and change within the comic-book industry, Marvel published a scarcely remembered series that was equal parts What If…? and What The--?!. The Marvel Quarterly and Annual Reports are set in a Marvel Universe where heroes and villains are primarily concerned with their parent company’s financial activities. “Gross margins increased due to the favorable sales mix of publications and higher licensing revenues,” booms an enthusiastic Hulk as he rips off his business suit.

“Toy Biz’s 1994 infant and pre-school line is based on its Gerber License!” exclaims an excited Wolverine.

“Doom needs to learn why Marvel Entertainment’s ’92 net revenues increased 94% to $224 million— compared to $115 million in ’91!”

The series, a unique collaboration between corporate and creative, begins in the latter half of 1991, a landmark time for both sales and profitability, and ends in 1996, the year that Marvel filed for bankruptcy. Featuring a stellar list of experienced artists and attractive covers that could catch the eye of the most flippant of non-comic reading businessmen, the Marvel Quarterly and Annual Reports are forgotten gems that should be of interest to multiple readerships: They track the incentive-filled years of the speculator market for comic historians, supply an archive of storylines and incentives for the nostalgic collector, and provide a figure-filled timeline of big business maneuverings for the financially inclined. This article will eschew financial figures and commentary on corporate decisions in favor of a look at the series as a first-hand archive of a remarkable time period in Marvel’s history.

A MARVELOUS TIME OF CHANGE

Marvel entered the 1990s under the new ownership of successful Wall Street investor Ronald Perelman, a talented businessman who had little interest in comic books themselves. “Ronald really wanted to be in the media world and he started with Marvel. His intention was to be in television and movies and comics were the feeder line to get there,” recalls Terry Stewart, president and COO of Marvel from 1989 through 1994. “They saw it as terry stewart an opportunity to take the largest comic franchise, which is Marvel, buy it, and build it into a giant and then move that into the film and television world.”

Web-Slinging on Wall Street Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man visits the New York Stock Exchange on the cover of the first Marvel Quarterly Report, 3 Qtr 1991.

Original John Romita, Sr. cover art courtesy of Heritage Comics Auctions (www.ha.com).

TM & © Marvel.

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Keeping Watch (left) Marvel’s first Annual Report, from 1991, featured this Mike Harris/Jimmy Palmiotti charactercrowded cover at the NYSE. (right) From inside: Brand Echh’s sales graphs might have been boring, but not Mighty Marvel’s!

TM & © Marvel.

Stewart is a lifelong comic-book reader whose become the first publicly traded comic-book company, collection began in 1948. He’d worked as a lawyer and commemorated by a Spidey-suited actor visiting the a banker and was in the mergers and acquisitions field floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

The year 1991 also marked the formation of in 1989 when he caught the eye of Perelman. “I was specifically hired by Ronald and his team because I had Marvel’s first marketing department, under the a business background and was a comic-book reader leadership of Sven Larsen, who joined Marvel in 1989 as their Retailer Liaison and went on to spearhead and collector. They thought that was critical to a bevy of memorable incentive covers. the success of the business. They wanted “The day of the IPO was a big one,” us to exercise the elements of collecting, remembers Larsen. “For staff, the IPO to make it part of a marketing plan. was met with equal parts anticipation That’s kind of unusual. I always say and dread. There was a lot of concern there was me and a guy from Utah, a about how going public would impact very small subset of people who had the content of the books. But a lot of a financial background and still read people were also excited to own a and collected comics.” piece of the company and place their While new corporate hires began money and faith in the future of a populating the Marvel offices, the company they dearly loved. publishing division was reaching “On a personal note, the day of formerly unheard-of levels of success. the IPO was a relief for me since I’d In June of 1990, Todd McFarlane’s sven larsen been drafted to help with all the Spider-Man #1 sold a record 2.5 filing documents that take place million copies thanks to several variant covers that catered towards collectors and investors and before the actual offering,” Larsen continues. “This would lead directly to the decade’s speculator bubble. ended up being a ton of work and it was also how In 1991, Jim Lee’s X-Men #1 and Rob Liefeld’s X-Force Gary [Fishman] and I started collaborating. I recall #1 sold 8.2 million and 3.6 million respectively, making sitting on a PATH station platform on a rainy Sunday them the two bestselling comics in history. It was that morning editing some SEC document and wondering same summer that Marvel made the historic jump to how the hell a 25-year-old former comic-shop employee could be dealing with stuff like this.”

Gary Fishman, like Stewart, was a lifelong comicbook fan with a background in business. After acquiring a journalism degree from Boston University, where he developed a superhero comic strip for the newspaper, the B.U. Avenger, he worked in the public-relations field, which led him to the investor-relations field in the early 1980s. During that decade he had done some business work for Rick Obadiah’s First Comics and wrote an unpublished story for Neal Adams’ Continuity Comics title Toyboy. By 1991, Fishman had founded the Hudson Stone Group, an investor and publicrelations firm. He had heard that the House of Ideas was going to go public and reached out to Marvel CEO Bill Bevins, a key member of Perelman’s team.

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“I’ll never forget what Bill said,” recalls Fishman. “You know, my problem with Marvel is that I meet a lot of people that know comic books, and I meet a lot of people who know business, but it’s hard to find business people who understand comics.’ He wanted me to talk to Terry Stewart and [Terry] said that they might use me for a project.

Later I get a telephone call from him, ‘We’re working on our first quarterly report for shareholders and we want you to come be in on the meeting.’”

When a company goes public, it is required to send both quarterly and a year-end annual report to shareholders. gary fishman The content of these reports includes income statements, balance sheets, cash-flow statements, and other financial data that would put a non-business-minded comic reader to sleep.

Fishman continues, “So I went in, it was Terry, Marvel CFO Bob Riscica, and Mark Erickson, who was in charge of licensing.

They show me an initial design for a quarterly report. I remember the inside was a picture of Ghost Rider with no real background and an empty word bubble. And the next one was Iron Man, the next one was Spider-Man. So I’m looking at this and I didn’t quite get what they were trying to do. Terry explained, ‘We want to convey to people that Marvel Entertainment isn’t just a comicbook company. We’re an entertainment company. The reason why is that we think our heroes and villains have far greater legs than people realize. They’re personalities, they’re characters, which can drive entertainment revenue, toys, movies, televisions shows, in a way people have never quite appreciated.’ I replied, ‘So why are you doing it this way?’ ‘So we can show them the different personalities.’ ‘I know what you’re saying, but this looks cut and paste. I don’t know whether that’s going to accomplish what you’re trying to do.’ Everybody sits back and Bob Riscica goes, ‘What are you talking about? Like Hulk and Spider-Man talking about the numbers?’ ‘Yes, that’s exactly what I’m talking about!’ And you could see the light bulbs go on over their heads.

‘Okay, let’s give it a try.’ I had to write up a memo that described what became the Quarterly Reports and they assigned Glenn Herdling to be in charge of making it happen.”

Glenn Herdling was editorial director of Marvel’s Custom Publishing division at the time, a newly developed department that specialized in educational, social, and product tie-in comics. Herdling started at Marvel in 1986 as an assistant to Carl Potts and had worked in the editorial and production departments since then. Herdling remembers, “Gary was essential because he was the only guy who could translate the financial data into something I could understand. He was also a fan.”

“Glenn was perfect,” responds Fishman. “He was in custom comics. He did the whole production; we used the Marvel glenn herdling Method. They didn’t get involved in money matters. Part of my job was to write it in such a way that fit the format and communicated a story accurately. It was all reviewed by the CFO’s team, Terry Stewart had to like it, the attorney had to approve it, Perelman’s people in the townhouse had to approve it. Everybody had to make sure they were on board with it.”

“Gary had to make sure that he clearly told everything that we needed to tell in an annual report for a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange, which means you can’t be as

Adventure into Fleer (top) Back and front covers to the 1992 Annual Report. (bottom) Dr. Doom demands an explanation for the increase in annual net revenues on the issue’s splash page.

TM & © Marvel.

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That Spidey’s a Card! (top) The tri-fold cover of MQR 3Q 1992 features Spidey through the ages, courtesy of Alex Saviuk and John Romita, Sr. (bottom) Interior pages scripted by Gary Fishman and Stan Lee, with art by Saviuk and Romita, Sr. “Flip Me a Fleer” unfortunately didn’t have the staying power of its comic counterpart, “Make Mine Marvel!”

frivolous as you want to be,” explains Stewart.

“You can be frivolous in a methodical way, but you still have to meet all of the requirements and goals and make sure you’re not stepping over the line on anything. I remember working very closely with Gary to make sure we covered what we needed to cover and in a tone and voice that I found acceptable. Our chairman [Bill Bevins] wanted to look at it also. He

was by trade a CPA and had been involved with many publicly traded companies and wanted to make sure we didn’t go over the line, be too geeky with this stuff.”

“I think the original concept for this was a brilliant idea,” remarks Larsen. “I remember [then-editorial director] Tom DeFalco not being in love with it, because he already had an overworked editorial department and he wanted to keep his staff as far

TM & © Marvel.

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away from the ‘business’ side of things as possible.

On the other hand, Terry Stewart couldn’t have been more enthusiastic.”

“I just remember it being introduced to me and thinking, ‘Wow, what a wild, crazy idea,’ one that was unique and would set us apart,” recalls Stewart.

“A great thing about the Custom Publishing Department was that we could pay rate-and-a-half to writers and artists,” explains Herdling. “That’s because creators couldn’t get royalties on custom comics like they could doing a mainstream comic.

But for the Quarterly and Annual Reports, I was able to finagle double rate because there were often last-minute changes. And if there were rush charges incurred, it would be even more! So it was pretty easy to get some great talent on the Reports.”

Larsen elaborates, “We were working with supertight deadlines because we had an SEC required publication date. I do remember that we had to get approvals from the heads of a bunch of different departments and that wasn’t easy. The whole process was overseen by a project team that would meet weekly. But Glenn and Gary were the ones sweating blood to make sure the book got out on time.”

“Because it was such a high-profile project, everyone wanted a piece of it,” remembers Herdling.

“There was a list of people who had to approve it, but they insisted on doing sequential reviews rather than a parallel review. That means that each person on the list had to review it and make their changes before the next person higher up the chain saw it, because Odin forbid someone let an error slip through. And, of course, everyone had some sort of comment because they had to justify their involvement. This was in the days before computer composition, so all the edits were done by hand.

The pages were often caked in White-out.

“The first report was on such a tight production deadline that I had to hail a cab up to MacAndrews and Forbes so that Ron Perelman could review it. He left me sitting in his waiting room while he took an hour to read it over. He never even came out to greet me.”

BREAKING THE PRE-INTERNET

The first Quarterly Report, 3 QTR 1991 (covering July, August, and September), was released in December, a colorful comic-sized four-pager (the standard length for most of the Quarterly Reports) featuring a John Romita, Sr. cover of Spider-Man swinging over the NYSE floor gripping a copy of The Wall Street Journal. The corner box features the Kingpin. “It was my sneaky idea “Things sure have changed around here!” exclaims to put the Kingpin in the corner box of the first Marvel the Hulk. “Now that we’re a public company, we have Quarterly Report,” recalls Herdling. “Most of us to tell everybody how well we did. We’re pleased editorial types were skeptical of going public to report Marvel’s results for the quarter and answering to a bunch of ‘suits’ that and nine months ended September knew nothing about Marvel or comics 30, 1991. For the quarter, net income in general. In fact, their ignorance was increased 213% to $6.7 million or reflected by the fact that they had $0.55 a share, and net revenues no idea who the guy in the corner increased 59% to $38.3 million. box was and what he represented.”

Tell ’em, Spider-Man!” “Thanks, Hulk.

Fishman has a less vindictive reading For the nine months net income of the villainous mogul: “The Kingpin increased 164% to $10.7 million represented Wall Street money, I think or $0.89 per share and net revenues that was the idea.” increased 35% to $80.3 million.”

The interior is penciled by Scott They go on to explain how McDaniel and inked by Jimmy publishing revenues increased jimmy palmiotti Palmiotti. Following an inside cover during the quarter due to the success phoyo by 5of7. that features the required condensed of the first issues of X-Men and financial statements is a two-page story written by X-Force. Spider-Man puts on a movie starring himself Fishman featuring the Hulk and Spider-Man as they that explains how licensing and other revenues grew discuss changes around the office. $1 million “in part, because we received the first

Our Profits Aren’t Shrinking Marvel mainstays face off against the revenue-driven Arcade in the 1993 Annual Report, which ends with a wink and a nod to investors. (top right) Hank Pym demonstrates the increase in earnings per share from 1991–1993.

TM & © Marvel.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 65

installment of a non-refundable cash advance for Jim Cameron to do a live-action Spider-Man movie. Cameron directed the box office smash this summer—Terminator 2.” The Hulk boasts about the recent $0.25 retail price increase for most of Marvel’s books as well as the highly anticipated upcoming release of the final issue of The Infinity Gauntlet and the first meeting of Ghost Rider, Punisher, and Wolverine. “Quit bragging to the shareholders, Hulk, and let’s go to a comic-book store!” And it all ends with a “Nuff said!”

The Report was released to a frenzy of media attention including news stories in USA Today, New York Daily News, and The Wall Street Journal. Fishman remembers, “One of Perelman’s people was talking to Floyd Norris, who was a very important columnist in The New York Times. He wrote a story about it and it was like the world exploded. You know the expression “broke the internet”? It was like the equivalent of that back then. Everybody in the world wanted to see it, wanted to get a copy of it. And it was off to the races from that point.”

THE ANNUAL REPORT, MARVEL STYLE

The Marvel 1991 Annual Report runs 36 pages and is printed at the common annual report size of 8.5” x 11”. It contains a proper eightpage comic story written by Fishman, penciled by Paul Ryan, and inked by Jimmy Palmiotti beneath a cover by Mike Harris and Palmiotti that features a dozen of the company’s most popular characters posing in front of the New York Stock Exchange. The inside cover provides a guide to the characters for the non-superhero inclined.

“You will find this annual report different from most,” reads an interior memo co-credited to CEO Bill Bevins and President and COO Terry Stewart. “It isn’t every day you see serious financial documents filled with wild costumed characters—flying, leaping, and crawling (yes, crawling!) across the page. But, then, this is Marvel—The House of Ideas!”

Uatu, the Watcher spends the next two pages explaining the keys to the company’s success in 1991: the success of X-Men #1 and X-Force #1, increased distribution due to new comic-book stores and expanded newsstand outreach, the success of Wolverine #50 and its “die-cut slashed cover,” and the licensing of Spider-Man to Carolco Pictures and X-Men to Fox TV. Uatu sticks around to narrate the six-page comic story that follows. He illustrates the history and appeal of Marvel Comics in a tidy three panels before discussing the recent consumer marketing successes of Spider-Man #1 with its “multiple editions sealed in polybags,” Silver Surfer #50 with a “silver foil-embossed cover,” and the glow-in-the-dark Ghost Rider #15 cover. Other characters join in the celebration of recent incentive successes: Cable shouts about the poly-bagged trading cards in X-Force #1, Wolverine describes the five special editions of X-Men #1, Darkhawk points out the popularity of new characters like Sleepwalker, the New Warriors, and himself.

Then comes a preview of 1992 with descriptions of upcoming group titles including the Big Guns (Silver Sable and the Wildpack, Luke Cage, Nomad, Punisher War Zone), the Midnight Sons (Spirits of Vengeance, Morbius the Living Vampire, Nightstalkers), and the 2099 line. The Watcher takes his leave and the remaining 26 pages of the issue are text concerning Marvel’s Publishing, Licensing, and Advertising divisions as well as about 20 pages worth of required financial statements with character graphics peppered throughout such as Mr. Fantastic wrapping himself around a bar graph of Net Units Sold.

Sven Larsen remembers, “Glenn, Gary, and I worked really closely together on the copy and design for the non-comics part of the Annual. I think I may have even helped find some of the art we used in the report. John Romita had a flat file in his office of various character artwork that had been done over the years and I spent a lot of time perusing those files for various projects.”

“They were inking gigs to me, and big mysterious books that I sort of knew what they were for,” recalls Palmiotti. “I remember they would pay me double or triple rate to ink them, but other than that… it was just a gig, one of many. I was happy to ink Mike because we worked on The ’Nam together and I have always been a fan of one of the nicest guys ever, Paul Ryan. It was the only time I got to work with him, sadly.” (Ryan died in 2016.)

From an item in the July 2, 1992 edition of The Wall Street Journal, “Marvel Entertainment Group Inc.’s first annual report, with superheroes on its cover and inside, has juices flowing. ‘We’ve had people call for copies,’ says Glen Scott Friedman of Jim Hanley’s Universe Ltd., a Staten Island, New York, comic-book store chain.

At Marvel’s annual meeting in New York last week, one shareholder was offered $80 for his copy.”

Another requirement of going public was the hosting of these annual meetings with shareholders. Stewart recalls, “A lot of parents wanted to buy stock for their kids in Marvel and at the annual

Explosive Reports (top) Trading card front and back cover for MQR 1Q 1993. (bottom) X-Force’s Boomer and Cannonball liven up an interior page of financials from MQR 1Q 1993.

TM & © Marvel.

66 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

meetings we would have parents show up with their children. When we did the Q&As at the end of the meetings we would have a period of time set aside for the kids to ask questions and they were always handed to me because I was the only one who could talk about the storylines and characters, I was the only geek on stage there. A heavy investor would ask about certain trends in comics, what we were gonna do in theme parks or themed restaurants, and the next kid would ask me if so-and-so is gonna die in the next episode of some book. I would try to give a short answer, but I could see some of the business-oriented individuals get a little tired of these long-winded comic-book answers.”

“Retail fans made going to Marvel’s annual meeting that first year a destination trip and there were lines to get into the meeting. It was largely attended,” recalls Fishman.

FACTS, FIGURES, AND SUPERHEROES

The first Quarterly Report for 1992, 1 QTR 1992, showcases the Big Guns line by the art team of John Hebert and Rodney Ramos. Luke Cage and the Punisher meet up with Nomad at a Hydra base where Microchip finds a whole file on Marvel 1992 first quarter results, which feature a lot of the same information from the previous report. Net and Publishing revenues are up thanks to increased X-Men-related royalties and the Spider-Man film project payment, gross margins increased due to direct market sales and increased cover prices. Silver Sable shows up to explain that “one reason why publishing was so strong was due to the Big Guns promotion with the debut of Punisher War Zone—Marvel’s third monthly Punisher title— and Cage. Big Guns continues in the second quarter with the premiere of Nomad, followed by my own Silver Sable.”

Artist John Hebert recalls, “I had established a relationship with Terry Stewart, who was one of the big muckety-mucks there. He had recommended me and they paid double or triple time because the issues weren’t for sale, there was no potential for royalties. So I jumped in and it was fun. I gave it everything I could, I was trying to impress the suits.

“There was a little bit of redrawing on [the cover],” continues Hebert. “If I remember, the look of Luke Cage hadn’t been dialed in yet and we had to go back and address it. There’s a gun in the Punisher’s hand that john hebert isn’t in any way shape or form in the right perspective, but it got done on time.”

MQR 2Q 1992 is a six-page foldout featuring a Tom Morgan-penciled homage to Dave Cockrum’s X-Men #100, pitting the X-Men Blue and Gold teams against each other in a battle of wits hosted by Professor X. “Why did Marvel’s 2Q earnings increase 192%?” Xavier booms. “And why did first half earnings grow 203%?” The answers include increased licensing revenues, increased volume and cover prices, and the successes of the Infinity War crossover, hologram Spider-Man covers, and the debut of Ghost Rider spin-off Spirits of Vengeance. Xavier spotlights future successes that will include William Shatner’s Tekworld, the 2099 line, and a batch of new gimmick covers: Sleepwalker #19 with a pop-out mask, Hulk #400 with a “holo-grafix” foil-stamped cover, and Iron Man #288 with a foil-stamped cover.

“I do recall that these reports were under a tight deadline and the art needed to get done quickly,” remarks artist Tom Morgan. “I’m happy with how the final art came out. I thought it was an interesting way to depict the earnings of the company and thought that it would probably be the coolest-looking annual report anybody had ever seen, as most were pie charts and vast columns of type. Having costumed characters in action shouting out net gains was pretty appropriate for a comic company!”

MQR 3Q 1992 is another six-page foldout (the final one, all future Quarterlies are four-pagers) that features a memorable cover of Spider-Man through the years penciled by Alex Saviuk and inked by John Romita, Sr., they also provide the interiors. Gary Fishman shares writing credit with Stan Lee for a rooftop meeting between “The Man” and the Spider-Man. The main topic of conversation is Marvel’s acquisition of the trading card and confectionery product manufacturer Fleer for approximately $280 million in cash.

Stan quotes net income and revenue figures, we’re reminded once again of the success of the first issues of X-Men and X-Force, and Spidey swings off with this memorable exchange: “That leaves only two things left to say!

Flip me a Fleer—The Card of Choice!” “And what’s the second?” asks Stan.

They’ve Got the Look (top) Back cover of MQR 3Q 1993. (bottom) Original John Buscema/Greg Adams art to the 1993 report’s front cover, courtesy of Heritage.

TM & © Marvel.

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Ready for Fiscal Fisticuffs (left) MQR Q1 1992 cover by John Hebert, featuring Marvel’s street-level “Big Guns” heroes. (center) It’s a financial face-off as the X-Men teams prepare for battle on Tom Morgan’s Dave Cockrum cover homage for MQR Q2 1992. (right) Heroes enjoy the fruits of their company’s licensing efforts on Steve Epting’s cover for the MQR Q2 1993.

TM & © Marvel.

“Make mine Marvel!” “That’s my boy!” This is the final Universe and the world of professional sports. From Quarterly Report to feature an original comic story, all there, Dr. Strange gathers a team of Secret Defenders, future Quarterlies are strictly text, photos, and clip art a new series that had launched around the time that this Annual was released, who are all able to answer with original comic stories relegated to the Annuals.

In regard to the Marvel 1992 Annual Report, Strange’s financial-based inquiries. “Quasar, why did Marvel’s net revenues and net income increase in ’92?”

Fishman remembers, “When it came time “War Machine, how and why did gross profit to do the first Annual, I asked if we should change in ’92?” “Wonder Man, I must know do a traditional one or do it like we did by how much net cash from operations the Quarterlies. They said, ‘Do a comic changed in ’92!” One memorable book.’ Then when it came to the next moment is when Multiple Man uses year, I remember Bill Bevins said, his powers to demonstrate stock splits.

‘We should do a real comic book.’”

“The way [Gary] used Jamie Madrox Perhaps bolstered by the success of to describe a stock split was pure the 1991 Annual, which was named genius!” remembers Herdling. “I still one of the “Best Annual Reports of use that metaphor to this day when 1991” by Institutional Investor, Bevins’ I need to describe what a stock split suggestion led to the creation of the is.” Wonder Man and War Machine series’ first full 32-page story, printed bump into the Avengers at a comicat the standard comic-book size used book store for a breakdown of the for the Quarterlies. It would go on to tom morgan different families of Marvel books. receive praise in both Art Direction Dr. Strange and Vision meet up with Magazine and the Financial Times and was chosen as a “Bronze Award Winner” for design in the Fantastic Four at a ballpark to get the lowdown on Fleer. “Don’t ferget, Fleer produces two classics in Financial World’s Annual Report Competition.

The Annual’s wraparound cover by S. Clarke bubble gum: Dubble Bubble and Razzles!” reminds Hawbaker and Bill Anderson features Spider-Man the Thing. Wolverine and Madrox stumble upon the jumping from the Fleer building while Gambit- set of the new X-Men animated TV show where their energized Fleer Ultra baseball cards whiz by. Other teammates describe upcoming film projects including characters include Spider-Man 2099, Namorita, Blade, Daredevil, and Elektra. “Licensing the film and Thunderstrike, and a helmeted Thing. The story TV rights will also focus additional interest on Marvel’s features a rotating team of artists that includes Art universe of more than 3,000 characters!” boasts Jubilee.

Nichols, John Hebert, Tom Morgan, Andrew Wildman, The New Warriors foil Electro’s attempts to black out Alex Saviuk, and the legendary Herb Trimpe. Dr. Doom New York City while discussing client relationships opens the issue declaring, “I must discover how and and marketing programs. The book wraps up with why Marvel expanded operations and broadened the Strange paying a visit to Doom to declare “Marvel scope of the company!” Unbeknownst to Doom, Dr. showed such a solid performance in ’92, and has Strange is watching him and, detecting a threat, he so many plans for ’93, that you can forget your decides, “As master of the mystic arts and a protector treacherous schemes!” Doom surprisingly agrees, of the Marvel Universe I must learn before Doom why retiring to his quarters, where he removes from a Marvel performed so well in ’92 and what’s in store wall safe… a Marvel stock certificate! “Why would I for ’93!” The Vision appears in the Sanctum Santorum ever consider harming Marvel Entertainment? I just to outline Marvel’s growing presence as a “new kind wanted to learn for myself Marvel Entertainment’s of youth entertainment company” that is built on 1992 results! And, learning that, once again, the two mainstays of American pop culture: the Marvel genius of Doom proves superior!”

68 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Move Over, Steve Gerber (top and center) Thanks to Marvel subsidiary Toy Biz, Iron Man, Wolverine, and Spider-Man participated in this offbeat Marvel “team-up” with the Gerber® baby in the 1993 Marvel Annual Report.

TM & © Marvel. Gerber® and Baby Head TM Gerber Products Company.

MQR 1Q 1993: The cardstock covers for the first Quarterly Report of 1993, printed at 8.5” x 11” as are the two issues that follow, feature trading cards: the front includes six Fleer NBA basketball cards and three Marvel Universe cards while the back features MarvelToy Biz X-Force action figure cards. The interior text recaps the acquisition of Fleer and mentions the recent success of Marvel’s first solo Venom comic. Also of note is the mention of Marvel teaming up with toy manufacturer Toy Biz and CEO Avi Arad to form a new and expanded Toy Biz, 46% of which is owned by Marvel. Perelman’s goal to establish Marvel in the world of film and television also took a step forward with the announcement that “Mr. Arad will work with Stan Lee to oversee the development of all animated and live action television and film projects featuring characters owned by Marvel.”

MQR 2Q 1993: Various Marvel superheroes crowd around X-Men and Avengers arcade game cabinets on the Steve Eptingpenciled cover for the second Quarterly Report of 1993. The back cover features Fleer NFL GameDay trading cards. Recent successes mentioned in the interior text include the debut of the solo Cable comic, hit Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis video games featuring Spider-Man and the X-Men, and a popular line of X-Men action figures by Toy Biz. Also mentioned is a licensing agreement with the Fox Children’s Network to produce a 65-segment animated SpiderMan series for the 1994–1995 season.

MQR 3Q 1993: John Buscema pencils the cover for the third report of 1993 featuring “the hot, new ‘in your face’ ’90s looks of some classic and new Marvel characters” including costume revamps of Iron Man, Daredevil, and the Invisible Woman, plus new characters Spider-Man 2099 and Thunderstrike. The back cover is a photo montage of licensed products such as the Pizza Hut comic promotion, handheld electronic and traditional board games, and a bevy of branded youth fashion the likes of which haven’t been seen since the early ’90s. The interior text largely repeats the previous two issues with added mentions of the hologram-clad covers for the X-Men’s 30th Anniversary issues and the award-winning Pretty & Me doll from Toy Biz. The Marvel Annual Report for 1993, which marks a permanent switch to comic-book-sized dimensions for all issues that follow, showcases a wraparound cover by Tom Raney and John Romita, Sr. featuring mainstay Marvel heroes set against a collage of comics and action figures. This one features another 32-page story by Fishman featuring art by Art Nichols, Mike Gustovich, John Hebert, Paul Ryan, Alex Saviuk, and Tom Morgan. The story is set in a virtual reality Marvel Universe created by Arcade as an effort to “learn the secret of Marvel’s ’93 success so I can duplicate it for myself!” Spider-Man stumbles into the climax of the X-Men/Avengers crossover “Bloodties,” where the heroes take a break from fighting Exodus to discuss publishing achievements, enhanced covers, and a new emphasis on editorial entertainment. Wolverine and Gambit meet up at a seaside lighthouse to chat about licensing and television developments while battling Sabretooth and the Juggernaut. Apocalypse arrives with an X-Menbranded Pizza Hut box and the reminder that “One must not forget Marvel’s advertising promotion revenues!” Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Wolverine storm into a Toy Biz warehouse to check out new product lines amidst a battle with the Hobgoblin. “Toy Biz’s 1994 infant and pre-school line is based on its Gerber license!” boasts Wolverine with great pride. “There’ll be Gerber growing toys, Gerber nursery dolls and Gerber electronics.” By issue’s end, Arcade decides that Marvel’s cross-platform successes are just too much to compete with and he calls it a day. This Annual was a Gold Winner at the International ARC Awards, the “Academy Awards of Annual Reports,” sponsored by the International Academy of Communications Arts & Sciences.

Screen Shots (bottom) Marvel heroes pose with their animated counterparts on the cover of the 1994 Annual Report.

Art by Robert Brown.

TM & © Marvel.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 69

Who Says Financials are Boring?

A gallery of covers for the Quarterly and Annual Reports demonstrate the obvious difference between the financial reports of other public companies.

TM & © Marvel.

MQR 1Q 1994: The cover is a reprint of X-Men #30 by Andy Kubert featuring the wedding of Cyclops and Jean Grey. Notable happenings include the start of Marvel’s in-house trading card production through its Fleer imprint and the hit X-Men animated TV show on Fox, which was benefiting licensing and Toy Biz operations. They note a decrease in net publishing due in part to “lower speculative purchases and a decrease in the number of special promotions (i.e. anniversary issues, limited series and new titles) launched in the 1994 period as compared to the 1993 period.”

MQR 2Q 1994: Tom Tenney Force Works art is used for the front and back cover of the 1994’s second quarterly report. Publishing revenues are promised to increase in the near future with the launch of X-Men spin-off Generation X and vaguely worded “dramatic new developments in the X-Men and Spider-Man titles.” The company also announces the signing of a licensing agreement for the development of a Marvel Universe section of the new Universal Studios Florida Theme Park. And in almost a passing closing remark, “an agreement was entered into for the purchase of

[sports and entertainment sticker manufacturer] Panini of Modena, Italy, for approximately $160 million.”

MQR 3Q 1994: More acquisitions await beneath the Chris Bachalo-penciled reprint of the Generation X Collector’s Preview cover in the third quarter report.

These include children’s activity magazine publisher Welsh Publishing Group and competing comic publisher Malibu Comics Entertainment, Inc., home of the popular Ultraverse line of superhero comics.

Marvel claimed that the purchase was motivated by their interest in the company’s state-of-the-art computerized coloring process, but other sources, including Sean Howe’s Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, explain it as a move to block a purchase by DC Comics that would have increased the Distinguished Competition’s market share.

Robert Brown provides the cover of the 1994 Marvel Annual Report featuring several Marvel mainstays flanked by their animated counterparts. The comic portion of the book is a 24-page story co-written by Gary Fishman and Jim Krueger that’s centered around the arrival of Malibu’s Ultraverse characters to the Marvel Universe. Artists include Mike Gustovich, Tom Morgan, Geof Isherwood, Alex Saviuk, Robert Brown, Paris Karounos, Sal Buscema, and Mark Pacella.

The Mandarin, Justin Hammer, and the Masters of Evil crowd around a television screen. “This is Trish Tilby for Newsnet. The mysterious Ultraverse Ultras have been spotted again in southern California near Malibu!

And this just in, Marvel Entertainment Group just reported its year-end results!” Tilby welcomes a series of heroic guest stars to breakdown Marvel’s financials and the villains dispatch their cronies to discredit them on prime time television. Iron Man and Hawkeye battle Hypnotia while discussing diversification. From the Danger Room, Wolverine explains the reorganization of Marvel’s publishing lines into families of titles. The Fantastic Four take on MODOK while breaking down licensing agreements. Captain America takes a break from a youth basketball game to discuss the trading card business and Spider-Man, in the midst of a battle with Venom, details the Panini line of activity stickers. Everything wraps up with a fantastic two-page spread of the Marvel heroes meeting the Ultraverse heroes for the first time with a beaming Watcher in the background. Artist Mark Pacella recalls, “I didn’t know the Ultraverse characters at the time, usually I need a bit of time to catch up. I was glad they asked me to do it though, as I always like mark pacella to tackle different kinds of things for different audiences when I can.” This issue went on to receive a Certificate of Distinction for “Annual Report Design” from Art Direction Magazine and was named a “Bronze Winner” at the annual International ARC Awards for Interior Design.

MQR 1995 #1: Spider-Man returns to the Stock Exchange floor on the cover of Marvel Quarterly Report 1995 #1, this time holding a Toy Biz sign above the caption “Toy Biz Goes Public on the New York Stock Exchange” (the reports now adhere to a more traditional numbering system rather than the previous #/QTR/year). In what would prove to be a controversial

70 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

decision, this issue announces Marvel’s plan to exclusively distribute their comics through their own Heroes World subsidiary starting in July. In other news, the new animated Spider-Man series on Fox Children’s Network is a big hit and Marvel acquired trading card company SkyBox International Inc. for approximately $150 million.

MQR 1995 #2: Despite a closeup cover of the Hulk’s chest with “SkyBox” written across it, the interior text largely discusses net losses due to the weakness in the trading-card business, which was due to labor disputes in professional sports, which has also impacted the company’s non-sports trading cards. Interior imagery features the company’s X-Men promotion with Hardee’s and a Spider-Man promotion with McDonald’s, Marvel’s first with these two major restaurant chains.

MQR 1995 #3: The Silver Surfer zooms past a planet covered in Panini stickers on the cover of the Marvel Quarterly Report 1995 #3. Toy Biz has acquired Spectra Star, a leading manufacturer of kites and activity toys, Marvel is introducing a series of innovative CD-Rom comic books, and the company will soon break ground on the first in a series of Marvel Mania-themed restaurants.

There’s also a quick mention of the long-forgotten Generation X TV movie on Fox. The 1995 Annual Report is the final annual in the series.

Beneath a wraparound cover by Michael Golden is a 24-page story by Fishman with art by John Statema, David Boller and Greg Adams, Karl Kerschl, and Alex Saviuk and Derek Fisher. A mysterious villain has trashed J. Jonah Jameson’s office and it’s up to Spider-Man, in his new costume, to locate the missing pages for an article on Marvel’s ’95 Annual Report. Wolverine, Captain America, and Spider-Man subdue a raging Hulk, who turns out to be the troublesome Impossible Man in disguise. To find the missing pages, Wolverine requests the assistance of Generation X, “assuming, o’ course, [they] ain’t filmin’ another movie of the week for Fox!” This story plays out more like a traditional comic book than the previous ones as the financial information is limited to pages of text that the heroes locate throughout their battles.

Wolverine and Gen X battle Dr. Doom’s accountant, Cap battles the Jackal and his “Un-Clones,” and Spider-Man is ultimately able to return most of the missing pages to Jameson with the remaining ones revealed to be in the reader’s very hands, making up this issue’s Index to Consolidated Financial Statements.

MQR 1996 #1: The front cover features the revamped Fantastic Four by Carlos Pacheco and Bob Wiacek while the background interior features the X-Men and Avengers fighting Onslaught by Ian Churchill and Scott Hanna. This issue is text-heavy with no graphics or product photos, reflecting the somber vibe of the content. The

Impossible Allegiances (left) Universes collide thanks to Marvel’s acquisition of the Malibu Ultraverse on this spread from the 1994 Annual Report. (right) Shareholders were likely surprised by the mischievous reveal of the Impossible Man at the end of 1995 Annual Report.

TM & © Marvel.

Report notes a loss for the first quarter due to restructuring costs in both publishing and trading cards. Incentive covers are no longer a plus as they declare a new strategy of “strong story, strong art and no gimmicks.” “Anticipation has been building for our Onslaught storyline, which starts in our X-books, spreads to the rest of the Marvel Universe, leads into a series of crossover titles with Image Comics, and then culminates in the debut of the ‘Unfinished Business’ publishing program featuring the revamping of Captain America, Iron Man, Avengers, and Fantastic Four by renowned artists Jim Lee and Rob Liefeld.” What could go wrong? Also noted is the formation of Marvel Software to “accelerate the company’s push into online services and interactive software.”

MQR 1996 #2: The final Quarterly features a wraparound X-Men cover by Adam Kubert and Dan Green featuring the bandana-clad, de-evolved Wolverine. This is another text-heavy one that deals with a number of changes within the company: the elimination of marginally profitable comic-book titles, the closing of Fleer’s 60-yearold manufacturing facility in favor of outsourcing card production at a lower cost plant, the selling off of 2.5 million shares of Toy Biz to help fund the formation of Marvel Studios for film and television development. The most hopeful portion of this issue regards the company’s plans for a restaurant chain. “Marvel and its theme restaurant partner Planet Hollywood are currently planning to open the first two Marvel Mania units in Las Vegas and Los Angeles in the first half of 1997. Units in Piccadilly Circus in London and Times Square in New York are expected to open next, followed by Orlando in the first half of 1998. We believe the Marvel characters are ideal for the theme-restaurant market and that the Mania units themselves will serve as another means to broaden the exposure and merchandising power of the Marvel franchise.” For the curious, the first and only Marvel Mania restaurant opened at Universal Studios Hollywood in 1998 and closed the following year.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 71

END OF AN ERA

Wherever There’s a Hang-up Spidey, wearing his ’90s finest, drops in on J. Jonah Jameson on the splash page of the final Annual Report of 1995.

TM & © Marvel.

Marvel entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy at the end of 1996. The comic-book business was down, the reasons were many. Among them, the bursting of the speculator bubble, generated by the success and eventual overproduction of incentive covers, and the decision to exclusively distribute product in-house via Heroes World. But the big killer was the 1994–1995 Major League Baseball strike. Lasting 232 days and 938 games, including the entire 1994 playoffs and World Series, it is still the longest sports stoppage on record due to a strike. Retailers flooded Marvel with returned Fleer and SkyBox trading cards, and cut future orders.

It left Marvel no way to recoup manufacturing, sales and shipping costs, or to make up lost sales to pay its debts. Amidst this backdrop the Quarterly Reports were discontinued after the second quarter.

Glenn Herdling reflects on the end of the series: “1996 was the year that Marvel’s earnings took a significant downturn. The suits decided that it wouldn’t be a great idea to paint a pretty package around the negative news. For once, I agreed with them.

“Like I said, many people in the Bullpen and editorial met the announcement of Marvel’s public offering with skepticism. That doesn’t mean in the ensuing five years we didn’t regale in profits we were making. The Holiday parties alone were banquets that Bacchus himself would have lionized. I owe my house to the glory years we had at Marvel. However, none of us could speak the language of the suits. We were creative folks. We couldn’t express ourselves in terms of EPS, CPI, ROI, and EBITDA. Marvel wasn’t just a job, it was our passion. We knew on an instinctive level that if we continued to flood the market with crap, our fans would eventually abandon us. But it’s tough to tell that message to financial folks who only care about short-term gains.”

“By 1996, Marvel was in severe financial trouble, they entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection that December,” explains Larsen. “It wouldn’t surprise me if they decided to trim that expense from the budget.”

Even after the series ended, it continued winning awards as the 1995 Annual was named “Top 10” in both Design and Illustration at the Black Book AR 100 Award Show, an organization that recognizes excellence in corporate annual reports. It may now be considered an obscure oddity, but the series’ creators and contributors remember it with fondness.

“I really genuinely think they were well put together, they had all of the points where they needed to,” remarks artist John Hebert. “As I was reading the plots, it hit across the board and hit all of the right points for comic people and people who weren’t. The comic-book people were invested, they had the art, ‘Hey, this is cool.’ And investors were like huh this is what it’s all about.

Overall I think it was a good package.”

“I have a stack of them at home,” reveals Herdling.

“And I have a giant poster of the first Quarterly Report cover, drawn by ‘Jazzy’ John Romita, hanging in my son’s room. I still smirk when I look at Kingpin. I’ve seen some of the reports on eBay and they fetch a pretty good price. They are true testaments to a tenebrous time in Marvel’s history.”

“They were the greatest public company identify/ shareholder marketing tool ever created!” exclaims Fishman. “I was privileged to be a part of them and to work with so many creative people in helping to make it all happen.”

“Occasionally I’ll come across one of these in a back issue bin at a convention,” relates Larsen, who returned to Marvel in 2018 after a 23-year hiatus and currently serves as Vice President of Licensed Publishing. “I’m always struck by what a professional job Gary and Glenn did on them. The first one is a good start but by the second or third quarterly they really were cooking with gas. And I’m always surprised no one else stole the idea, especially with superheroes being such big business these days.

I think someone should put the team of Herdling and Fishman back together.”

ERIC BRESLER is an award-winning art curator and film programmer who currently runs the Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art (PhilaMOCA). He is also the Director of Programming for the annual Cinedelphia Film Festival and is the founder of the Philadelphia Psychotronic Film Society. He occasionally blogs about his unique comic collection at comicbookoddities.com.

72 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Avengers, Marvel Comics Presents, X-Factor, X-Men and related characters TM & © Marvel. Cosmic Boy, Doom Patrol, Flash, Legion of Super-Heroes, and related characters TM & © DC Comics.

IN MEMORIAM STEVE LIGHTLE (1959–2021)

Artist Steve Lightle, who was featured on our cover and in our pages last year in BACK ISSUE #120, died unexpectedly on January 8, 2021, of cardiac arrest following a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Steve is best remembered for his stints on DC’s Legion of Super-Heroes and Doom Patrol and Marvel’s Wolverine/ Typhoid Mary serial in Marvel Comics Presents, and for his incredible covers for various Marvel series and for DC’s Flash.

BACK ISSUE extends its deepest sympathies to Steve’s widow, Marianne Lightle, to his family, and to his legion of fans.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 73

WRITER WITHOUT FEAR

Send your comments to: Email: euryman@gmail.com (subject: BACK ISSUE) Postal mail: Michael Eury, Editor-in-Chief • BACK ISSUE 112 Fairmount Way * New Bern, NC 28562

Inspired by your recent “Horrific Heroes” issue [BI #124], I am attaching a painting of Steve Gerber and friends by Val Mayerik, which was sent to me by the late Jim Hudnall.

(Note that Steve is not burning at the Man-Thing’s touch.

No reason for him to fear the creature.)

– Mike W. Barr Thank you for sending this, Mike! (And thanks to Val Mayerik!)

Find BACK ISSUE on

’77 CON FLASHBACK

Art © Val Mayerik. Man-Thing and Howard the Duck © Marvel.

Paul Macchia, interviewed about his father Tony in this issue’s Hostess Comic Ads article, shares the blast from the past below, a page of cartoonists’/comic artists’ signatures (with a Little Lulu doodle by John Stanley) from a 1977 comic-con in North Bergen, New Jersey. Thanks, Paul!

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

Mark Arnold, who wrote BI #124’s “Harvey Horror” article, writes the following regarding the art attribution for the cover art for Casper’s Strange Ghost Stories #10, which appeared on page 42: This cover image is by Warren Kremer and NOT Ernie Colón.

Colón did a few covers for Harvey, but very few, usually on the Richie Rich and Jackie Jokers title. Plus, Colón RARELY drew Casper before Kremer’s retirement in 1991. Heritage Auctions LOVES to attribute Harvey things to Ernie Colón that aren’t by him.

It’s continually frustrating for me.

– Mark Arnold

Lovely job top to bottom [on BACK ISSUE #124’s “Atlas/Seaboard’s Horrific Heroes” article by Marc Buxton], with only one correction for future reference: the Tarantula sketches [on page 58] were by Parsons student Dick Siegel, a friend from DC, who designed the character. These were forwarded to Pat Boyette for reference.

Thanks to you and Marc.

Prior to big upcoming news, we have QUIETLY begun publishing (mostly) prose books: Thrilling Adventures has the first new Atlas art I’ve commissioned since 1975.

– Jeff Rovin

© Nemesis Group Inc.

ATLAS/SEABOARD REBORN

That’s great news, Jeff! E-readers can search for a Targitt Kindle edition by Richard S. Meyers, and Amazon eBooks of Digging Dirt: Seeking the Bog Beast and Thrilling Adventure Stories.

74 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

2006 Dynamite Entertainment.

Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the Titans issue and the George Pérez tribute [#122]. I was fortunate enough to meet George at a NY Comicon several years ago, before the DC and Marvel omnibuses came out.

I schlepped my four New Teen Titans DC Archives editions as well as the JLA/Avengers slipcased hardcover and the George Pérez Storyteller, and presented them before him to get signed. He paused for a moment and signed them all.

He then said, “Any more?” I couldn’t tell whether he was serious or not.

I then informed him that I went into the graphic design field, indirectly because of him. The man is one of the few artists, besides José Luis García-López, whose art and layouts have not diminished over time.

New Teen Titans made it okay to be a DC fan of the ’80s. Although I enjoyed Superman and Batman/Detective at the time, there was something special about the Titans.

Their creators really cared and were passionate about the book and it showed. We looked forward to each and every upcoming issue.

“Who is Donna Troy?” is my favorite single issue of any comic from any time. A perfect blend of art and story.

Maybe BACK ISSUE should have a “Greatest Single Issue” theme. That issue [“Who is Donna Troy?”] would certainly be included, along with “A Day in the Life,” “Shades of Gray,” and the wedding issue. “The Anatomy Lesson” from Swamp Thing, plus “The Private War of Hendrickson,” the final issue of the Dominoe theory, and “Death of Blackhawk Island” from Blackhawk could also be included.

As you can tell, I was a DC guy in the ’80s, and although I’m sure there are plenty from Marvel, I’m just not familiar with singleissue stories other than “The Kid Who Collected Spider-Man” backup by Roger Stern.

On a different note, l remember writing into BACK ISSUE, wondering why, after the Paul Dini/Alex Ross oversized Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Shazam!, and JLA editions, never put out a tabloid-sized hardcover called Superman’s Greatest Battles. In it would have included both Superman/ Spider-Man tabloids, Superman vs. Wonder Woman, Superman vs. Shazam!, Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, and perhaps Superman/Fantastic Four. All remastered and recolored, of course. Eventually, DC did release a Superman vs. Ali facsimile edition, and now they’re doing the Supes vs. WW, but how great would it be to have them all in one volume? The Marvelous Wizard of Oz put out by DC and Marvel also deserves a volume of its own, along with the Land of Oz follow-up in one volume with whatever art remains of the third Oz volume.

– Yaakov Gerber P.S. I loved the BACK ISSUE on the tabloids and oversized editions of the ’70s and ’80s [BI #61]. Never was able to find the oversized issue, but appreciated the longbox version.

Anyway, thank you for such a great publication that brings back the wonderful memories of entering my local candy store and seeing those 100-page giants of Shazam!, Justice League, etc.; those digest-size comics of Superman, Batman, Jonah Hex, Flash, Super Friends, and Green Lantern; and best of all, the greatest stories of… digest volumes which gave us a sampling of various DC titles of the year such as Sgt. Rock, House of Mystery, tales of Gotham City, and Swamp Thing, which we wouldn’t necessarily have purchased.

Yaakov, a tabloid-sized collection of Superman battles gets my inner fanboy salivating, too. I fear it’s too ambitious a concept for a single edition, however, due to its multiple licenses and a presumably hefty cover price, given the extra length of the stories involved (and the book would weigh a ton!). Still, we can dream, can’t we?

“Greatest Single Issue” is an interesting theme idea that we’ll take under consideration.

THANKFUL FOR BI

Thanks, no doubt, to the current distribution problems, I got BACK ISSUE numbers 122 and 123 in the same mail-order batch. So if you don’t mind, I’ll make some quick comments on both of them.

BI #122: While I grew up with the original incarnation of the Teen Titans, I was one of the few who didn’t follow their 1980s revival, so I didn’t think I would enjoy this issue as much as I did.

And once again, you proved me wrong. I particularly liked the article about the Protector; I love little oddball bits from comics history like that! And, of course, Prince Street News is the FedEx of comics—it always delivers.

BI #123: Again, I had reservations about the issue’s theme.

I was never a fan of love comics, and “Superhero Romance” sounded pretty close to that. But I’ve been reading BI since its first issue, and I should know by now never to underestimate you. This issue was dense with information and entertainment.

The highlight for me was Dan Johnson’s look at Ralph and Sue Dibny. Identity Crisis remains a pretty polarizing story to this day. Personally, I believe it’s one of the best comic stories I’ve ever read. Much of the antagonism toward it seems to center around Sue’s murder. While it was certainly a gut-punch, I think it’s a testament to how we as fans get to know and love a good character. I cry as I witness Ralph’s grief every time I re-read this story. To evoke an emotional response for a fictional character is the sign of good writing.

Brad Meltzer, talking about Identity Crisis, said that when DC courted him for the project, “they said I could kill a big hero. They gave me a full death list with big names on it.” Well, call me morbid, but I’d pay good money to see that list. I wonder which characters DC thought were expendable at that time?

© DC Comics.

STILL TALKIN’ ABOUT THE TITANS

I like that BI doesn’t just cover the great stuff, but some misfires as well, such as Supergirl’s secret marriage and the Johnny/Alicia romance. Not every comic book is pure gold, but you see both sides without judgment.

Michael, I am writing this on Thanksgiving Day, and that seems like an appropriate time to thank you and your staff for this one-of-a-kind magazine that has entertained me for years.

Every time I open an issue of BI, it’s like I’m a guest at a party where everyone knows and loves old comics as much as I do.

Keep up the good work!

– Michal Jacot We’ll do our best, Michal!

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 75

BI #123, “Superhero Romance,” was another splendid and thought provoking issue.

Karl Heitmueller, Jr., not for the first time, got to the nub of things, and addressed some of the paradoxes of superheroic love. For while there’s an obvious desire for a happy ending, in which the costumed couple tie the knot and walk off into the sunset together, we know that such things are not really possible in the continuing literary/art form that is comics. For the leading characters there can be no sunset, no real ending.

So what happens to Superman and Lois Lane once the wedding bells have stopped ringing? Superhero home life gets boring pretty quickly. Experience has taught us that eventually there will be a reboot, or a re-imagining, and a clean or clean-ish slate upon which to construct the future. The nuptials will be conveniently, if sometimes controversially, forgotten— although these days there’s every chance the happy couple will re-emerge in one of the new universes that keep popping up everywhere. Only one thing can be said with certainty— that the push and pull of superhero romance will continue for as long as comics endure.

– Simon Bullivant P.S. Well done to you, and everyone involved with BACK ISSUE, for continuing to produce the magazine in these difficult times. Here’s to a better 2021.

Simon, thank you for giving Karl Heitmueller, Jr. his props.

Karl’s Prince Street News features always deliver both nostalgia and insight, and ye ed is always happy to publish them whenever Karl is available. (This issue’s is a blast, and Karl was able to include a few topics that space or previous coverage excluded from our “Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks” theme.)

ARE YOU READY FOR THE BINGE AGE OF COMICS?

A recurring theme among BACK ISSUE readers’ letters is a lament about how today’s comic books don’t appeal to them, or how they’d like to see new works produced by their favorite creators from Bronze and Copper Age books.

Are you among that number?

Then check out Sitcomics.net’s Binge Books, a line that evokes the spirit of 1970s Marvel, bringing readers “The Binge Age of Comics” with titles such as the Ron Frenz-drawn The Blue Baron and this new release, The Heroes Union #1 (see above),

by Roger Stern, Frenz, and Sal © The Henry Farm, Inc. Buscema. The Heroes Union premieres in August 2021.

Joining Roger, Ron, and Sal on Sitcomics projects are more of your favorite BACK ISSUE-era creators including Tom DeFalco, David Michelinie, Al Milgrom, Joe Rubinstein, Neil Vokes, and BI’s cover colorist Glenn Whitmore.

Behind the initiative is publisher/writer Darin Henry, whose name might be familiar to you as a TV sitcom writer

for Muppets Tonight, Seinfeld, and Futurama (among other shows). As the publisher’s website states, Sitcomics is “a new comic book company that gives popular comic book genres a sitcom twist. Founded by veteran TV writer Darin Henry, Sitcomics mixes his two decades of sitcom writing experience with his lifelong love of comic books in a new line of titles that feature 21st characters for 21st century readers.”

Visit sitcomics.net for more info.

THERE’S MUCH MORE TO MAN-THING

I just finished BACK ISSUE #124, the “Horrific Heroes” Issue.

Man-Thing has been one of my favorite characters since I first saw him lumbering out of the swamp on the cover of Marvel Tales #204 (reprinting Marvel Team-Up #68) by John Byrne and Joe Rubinstein. I’m always annoyed when I hear Man-Thing referred to as a B- or C-level character.

So many writers have simply missed the mark on how to handle him! The quote by Mary Skrenes near the end of Roger Ash’s article sums up the magic of Gerber’s run on the character: “Steve used the Man-Thing book to tell his kind of stories. He told me that Manny was a difficult and disliked character because it had no personality, thoughts, or feelings. He found it a perfect vehicle to tell stories about characters and concepts important to him.” Exactly! You can tell any kind of story with Man-Thing and Gerber did, probably better than anyone. Instead of being used as a joke, I wish a modern writer would take inspiration from the Gerber era and tell fun, sophisticated and yes, horrific, stories featuring Marvel’s swamp monster.

The aforementioned cover

by Byrne/Rubinstein had such an impact on me that over the last 10–15 years I have taken to collecting interpretations, recreations, and re-imaginings of that image by a variety of artists. I have attached a few images from my collection [shown below]. These are by Erik Larsen, Sal Buscema, Alan Kupperberg, Bob Wiacek, and a re-imagining by John Byrne himself.

–Joe Hollon Joe, you make a great point about Man-Thing’s potential. We’re honored to present these amazing commissions…

76 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

© Marvel.

SUPERHEROES IN LOVE

© Marvel.

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 77

the door over a pay dispute with DC. If anyone out there has those, original or photocopy, please contact me.

The Not-So-Good: Errors Fear #10 cover was by Gray Morrow, but the interior Man-Thing art was penciled by a young Howard Chaykin and inked by Morrow; the credits got it backwards. This info was from Chaykin himself.

Giant-Size Man-Thing #2 lead story was Buscema pencils with Klaus Janson inks; Tom Sutton’s inks, both by sight and GCD credit, are not present.

Man-Thing appeared in Master of Kung Fu #19, not #18.

Strange Omission: TwoMorrows printed a rejected Giant-Size Man-Thing cover by Frank Brunner and Alan Weiss in the Comic Book Artist vol. 2 collection (or in CBA #7). The Gerber/ Man-Thing article might have been a good place to use it again? Probably wasn’t enough space?

OK: The Atlas/Seaboard Horrific Heroes piece was nicely done, although it didn’t tell me anything new.

The Ghost Rider 1990s series represents one of many nadirs in comic books for me, as well as many other grim and gritty, so-called adult titles of that decade.

Keep up the decent work; you have yet to top your best recent issues (#110’s Englehart’s WCA, #114 and 118), but I am glad to see you are using writers who do more than just recap stories.

– Jeff Clem

BORN TO BE WILD

A MIXED BAG

BI #124 was an interesting mix of good, not-so-good, and “who cares?” But then again, no one issue is going to please everyone, right?

The Good: John Wells’ “Creeper” article. Excellent. Wells’ research and writing are always on the money; having him as a regular writer is a real feather in BI’s cap. Even when he writes an article about something that doesn’t interest me, I always end up being very caught up in the subject when I am finished reading it. Too, absolutely one of the most thorough, wellwritten, organized fascinating histories of comic books is Comic Book Implosion, co-written by Keith Dallas and John Wells; I heavily and heartily recommend it.

Also Good: The Klaus Janson “Creeper” art and story is the find of this century. Kudos for being aware of it and printing it.

Also good: Mentioning the unpublished Englehart Creeper/Superman team-up that was re-written and published as “SLAB!” in Eclipse Magazine #1. Especially cool about this aspect of John’s article was the printing of Curt Swan’s unpublished pencil splash page. I would sell my soul to the devil to see and possess the other six (?) pages penciled by Curt before Englehart and his scripts walked out

Long ago I picked up BACK ISSUE #59 (Space Ghost). Gotta luv ol’ S.G. The current Man-Thing cover [by Rudy Nebres, with colors by Glenn Whitmore, on BI #124] caught my attention and now I have another in my fledgling BI collection. May have to pick up the GotG BACK ISSUE next.

Loved that you had Atlas’ Man-Monster.

Thought he was long-forgotten by the world.

More images from that would’ve been nice.

Would’ve liked to have seen Etrigan the Demon rather than the Creeper. But the Creeper has his fans too I’m sure. Even Lobo has fans!

No Morbius? Seven Soldiers Frankenstein?

Vampirella (Warren magazine)?

GHOST RIDER!  No Ashley Wood? 2099?

Hated Saltares’ motorcycle!  Clunky. Awkward. At least Aaron Kuder (for the minute he was on G.R.) made that mess look like a motorcycle, if an ugly one. Trent Kaniuga did a wonderful job with G.R. also.

Although a select few Harleys are decent aesthetically (the Harley Davidson Livewire being one of them), I prefer sport bikes.

That said, Saltares’/Tex’s Ghost Rider is more of a “biker” type, thus a rice burner isn’t exactly his style, yet I prefer Blaze’s retro stunt suit which could definitely fit the sport bike or Cafe Racer aesthetic.

Viva la Mike Ploog and Bernie Wrightson! Oh, and Adam Hughes (for good measure)! The world could use an AH! Jennifer Kale or two. Just sayin’.

Any Magical/Paranormal Heroes issues coming up?

Doctor Fate (Anima and Animus), Jennifer Kale, Brother Voodoo, Talisman (Alpha Flight’s Elizabeth Twoyoungman), Ghost (Dark Horse), Zatanna, Satana, the Spectre, Ragman, Son of Satan, Captain Marvel (a.k.a. Shazam!), Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange!

Thanks for the fun!

– Eric England

78 • BACK ISSUE • Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue

Thanks for the letter, Eric. The 1990s and beyond Ghost Rider needed a little love.

Since you’re a casual reader of BACK ISSUE—you’ve got some catching up to do! Most of the characters you asked for, starting with Morbius and through many on your Magical/Paranormal list, have appeared in previous issues, some more than once.

You might want to scroll through our backlist on twomorrows. com and pick up some back issues of BACK ISSUE. Many of the earlier print editions are sold out, but each and every issue is available digitally. (By the way, you can find the future Ghost Rider in that Guardians of the Galaxy issue you mention, BI #119.)

And in another case of illustrating how readers’ tastes vary, John Wells’ Creeper article was the sleeper hit of BI #124.

It received the most positive comments (including some one-line posts and emails that weren’t printed above) than any other feature in the issue.

Etrigan the Demon, incidentally, was originally planned for #124 but has been delayed until BACK ISSUE #131—where he’ll be the cover star. More to come!

And Eric has shared this photo of him with his bikes… (All the Ghost Riders would be proud.)

MORE TITANS TALK

I don’t know how, but an ad on Facebook pointed out about the Anniversary issue of BACK ISSUE that highlighted the Titans. Having been a fan for years, including running one of the few Titans sites many, many (and maybe a few more “many”s) years ago, I knew I had to order that issue.

While I am still reading it, mostly over lunch breaks at work, I am enjoying it the details and information presented within.

Being a longtime reader of the Titans, or at least a reader of a good portion of their stories, I found the history articles to be mostly a recap, but also interesting because of the backstory information.

While the Raven article had a decent “flow” throughout, I found the Starfire article to be a bit “clunky” in places.

It wasn’t difficult to follow, but there were lines that when reading them seemed to be a bit “off.” It is not meant to be a criticism, more of an observation.

The only other item I think that may have helped readers of those articles (I haven’t read the Starfire article at The Demon TM & © DC Comics.

BACK ISSUE TM & © TwoMorrows.

the time I am making these notes) would be to include a bibliography of where specifically mentioned story points could be found. For example, would someone who has not read the Wolfman/Pérez series, I’m sure some could be found, know the significance of Franklin Crandall or why Starfire would go full “warrior mode” because of his death? While I get the magazine is primarily for “true fans of the Titans,” it is possible that people new to the characters would pick up the magazine and want to know more about them, and what trades to pick up to get the stories mentioned.

The Starfire article was well done, and did not read as “clunky” as the Raven story. While it covered a good part of her history, the end of the article felt like there was a part cut off for space considerations.

Andy Mangels has a writing style that, for some like myself, is recognizable. I found his article to be informative and helpful to cover the various appearances on screen.

I guess the biggest disappointment to me was the article about the Protector. Here’s a character that was a pure stand-in for Robin due to rights issues, and he [the Protector] is given five pages of details—and yet, the other character who was a member of the titans, Cyborg, is given nothing. I have never enjoyed, looked for, or even wanted another appearance of the Protector.

Throughout the years I have come to understand that everyone has a favorite character, and for some people this is the Protector.

I am not this person.

The farewell dinner was a good read, and while it seems a majority of the topics was related to the Avengers and their movies, I found the article to be well done and enjoyable.

When I ordered this issue, I ordered the previous issue about the Titans. I have yet to read it, but look forward to doing so.

– John Prill Thanks for the letter, John. Issue citations are usually par for the course for BACK ISSUE articles, but sometimes writers crafting overviews play a little fast and loose with that information.

We’ll use this as a reminder to all BI contributors to specifically cite issue numbers when discussing important storylines.

Cyborg was the focus of an article back in issue #72. Other Titans members have been written about in previous editions as well. The Titans receiving histories in #122 were ones that had not been covered in previous issues. As I’ve often stated in editorials, BACK ISSUE is a periodical, not a source book, and our themes are never intended to comprehensively cover a subject.

You disliked the Protector article, while Michal Jacot loved it!

Just goes to show ya, “different strokes…”

I am confused by your comments about the Raven and Starfire articles, both of which you called “clunky” then said weren’t clunky. As such, I’m unsure of which one you had the concerns about.

Next issue: The Kirby Legacy at DC, exploring JACK KIRBY’s post-Fourth World Bronze Age DC characters!

Etrigan the Demon, Kamandi the Last Boy on Earth, OMAC: One Man Army, Sandman, and Kirby’s Odd Jobs (Atlas, Manhunter, and more). Plus: the Simon & Kirby Reunion That Wasn’t! Featuring the work of STEPHEN BISSETTE, GERRY CONWAY, DAVE GIBBONS, ALAN GRANT, JACK C. HARRIS, DAVID ANTHONY KRAFT, MIKE ROYER, JOE RUBINSTEIN, STEVE RUDE, STEVE SHERMAN, RYAN SOOK, ROY THOMAS, RICK VEITCH, TOM VEITCH, MATT WAGNER, and more, under a Demon cover by Kirby and Royer. As the King himself would say, don’t ask—but BI it!

See you in thirty!

Your friendly neighborhood Euryman, Michael Eury, editor-in-chief

Bronze Age Promos, Ads, and Gimmicks Issue • BACK ISSUE • 79

RetroFan:

Pop Culture You Grew Up With!

If you love Pop Culture of the Sixties, Seventies, and Eighties, editor MICHAEL EURY’s latest magazine is just for you!

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Interview with Bond Girl and Hammer Films actress CAROLINE MUNRO! Plus: WACKY PACKAGES, COURAGEOUS CAT AND MINUTE MOUSE, FILMATION’S GHOSTBUSTERS vs. the REAL GHOSTBUSTERS, Bandai’s rare PRO WRESTLER ERASERS, behind the scenes of Sixties movies, WATERGATE at Fifty, Go-Go Dancing, a visit to the Red Skelton Museum, and more fun, fab features!

MAD’s maddest artist, SERGIO ARAGONÉS, is profiled! Plus: TV’s Route 66 and an interview with star GEORGE MAHARIS, MOE HOWARD’s final years, catching up with singer B.J. THOMAS, LONE RANGER cartoons, G.I. JOE, and more fun, fab features! Featuring columns by ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW, and MARK VOGER! Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

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Holy backstage pass! See rare, behind-thescenes photos of many of your favorite Sixties TV shows! Plus: an unpublished interview with Green Hornet VAN WILLIAMS, Bigfoot on Saturday morning television, TV’s Zoorama and the San Diego Zoo, The Saint, the lean years of Star Trek fandom, the WrestleFest video game, TV tie-in toys no kid would want, and more fun, fab features!

Sixties teen idol RICKY NELSON remembered by his son MATTHEW NELSON, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., rural sitcom purge, EVEL KNIEVEL toys, the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers, Saturday morning’s Super 7, The Muppet Show, behind-the-scenes photos of Sixties movies, an interview with The Sound of Music’s heartthrob-turnedbad guy DANIEL “Rolf” TRUHITTE, and more fun, fab features!

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Our BARBARA EDEN interview will keep you forever dreaming of Jeannie! Plus: The Invaders, the BILLIE JEAN KING/BOBBY RIGGS tennis battle of the sexes, HANNABARBERA’s Saturday morning super-heroes of the Sixties, THE MONSTER TIMES fanzine, and more fun, fab features! Featuring ERNEST FARINO, ANDY MANGELS, WILL MURRAY, SCOTT SAAVEDRA, SCOTT SHAW!, and MICHAEL EURY.

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NOW BI-MONTHLY! Interviews with ’70s’ Captain America REB BROWN, and Captain Nice (and Knight Rider’s KITT) WILLIAM DANIELS with wife BONNIE BARTLETT! Plus: Coloring Books, Fall Previews for Saturday morning cartoons, The Cyclops movie, actors behind your favorite TV commercial characters, BENNY HILL, the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention, 8-track tapes, and more!

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CHRIS MANN goes behind the scenes of TV’s sexy sitcom THREE’S COMPANY— and NANCY MORGAN RITTER, first wife of JOHN RITTER, shares stories about the TV funnyman. Plus: RICK GOLDSCHMIDT’s making of RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, RONNIE SCHELL interview, Sheena Queen of the TV Jungle, Dr. Seuss toys, Popeye cartoons, DOCTOR WHO’s 1960s U.S. invasion, and more!

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JOHN SEVERIN: TWO-FISTED COMIC BOOK ARTIST A spirited biography of the EC COMICS mainstay (working with HARVEY KURTZMAN on MAD and TWO-FISTED TALES) and co-creator of Western strip AMERICAN EAGLE. Covers his 40+ year association with CRACKED magazine, his pivotal Marvel Comics work inking HERB TRIMPE on THE HULK and teaming with sister MARIE SEVERIN on KING KULL, and more! With commentary by NEAL ADAMS, RICHARD CORBEN, JOHN BYRNE, RUSS HEATH, WALTER SIMONSON, and many others. By GREG BIGA and JON B. COOKE. SHIPS NOVEMBER 2021!

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RICHARD CORBEN

A double-size book-format tribute to RICHARD CORBEN, the transcendent master of fantasy and horror, featuring testimonials from innumerable peers, collaborators, collectors, and aficionados of the late artist. Included is a comprehensive examination of Corben’s work, from his start in fanzines and startling debut in underground comix, to groundbreaking work in the WARREN horror mags and worldwide acclaim in HEAVY METAL, and ascendancy into European comics albums. We also examine his own selfpublishing efforts with FANTAGOR PRESS and his Poe- and Lovecraft-inspired stories for DARK HORSE, as well as the man’s early dalliance in animation and the adaptation of his work in the HEAVY METAL ANIMATED FILM. Edited by JON B. COOKE and JOSÉ VILLARRUBIA, this is the definitive study of a visionary storyteller and master craftsman who elevated the art form to brilliant new levels, and a joyous celebration of his extraordinary life and career. (Counts as TWO subscription issues!)

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ALFREDO ALCALA is celebrated for his dreamscape work on Savage Sword of Conan and other work for Marvel, DC, and Warren, as well as his own barbarian creation Voltar, as RICH ARNDT interviews his sons Alfred and Christian! Also: FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America), MICHAEL T. GILBERT in Mr. Monster’s Comic Crypt, PETER NORMANTON’s horror history From The Tomb, JOHN BROOME, and more!

BLACK HEROES IN U.S. COMICS! Awesome overview by BARRY PEARL, from Voodah to Black Panther and beyond!

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Career-spanning interview with TERRY DODSON, and Terry’s wife (and go-to inker) RACHEL DODSON! Plus 1970s/’80s portfolio producer SAL QUARTUCCIO talks about his achievements with Phase and Hot Stuf’, R. CRUMB and DENIS KITCHEN discuss the history of underground comix character Pro Junior, WILL EISNER’s Valentines to his wife, HEMBECK, and more!

Extensive PAUL GULACY retrospective

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KIRBY COLLECTOR #81

KIRBY COLLECTOR #82

BACK ISSUE #131

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BACK ISSUE #133

“THE MANY WORLDS OF JACK KIRBY!” From Sub-Atomica to outer space, visit Kirby’s work from World War II, the Fourth World, and hidden worlds of Subterranea, Wakanda, Olympia, Lemuria, Atlantis, the Microverse, and others! Plus, a 2021 Kirby panel, featuring JONATHAN ROSS, NEIL GAIMAN, & MARK EVANIER, a Kirby pencil art gallery from MACHINE MAN, 2001, DEVIL DINOSAUR, & more!

THE KIRBY LEGACY AT DC! Explores Jack Kirby’s post-Fourth World Bronze Age DC characters! Demon, Kamandi, OMAC, Sandman, and Kirby’s Odd Jobs (Atlas, Manhunter, and more). Plus: the SIMON & KIRBY Reunion That Wasn’t! Featuring BISSETTE, BYRNE, CONWAY, GIBBONS, GOLDEN, GRANT, RUCKA, SEMEIKS, THOMAS, TIMM, WAGNER, and more.

Demon cover by KIRBY and MIKE ROYER!

1980s MARVEL LIMITED SERIES! CLAREMONT/MILLER’s Wolverine, Black Panther, Falcon, Punisher, Machine Man, Iceman, Magik, Fantastic Four vs. X-Men, Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D., Wolfpack, and more! With BOGDANOVE, COWAN, DeFALCO, DeMATTEIS, GRANT, HAMA, MILGROM, NEARY, SMITH, WINDSORSMITH, and more. Cover by JOE RUBINSTEIN. Edited by MICHAEL EURY.

STARMEN ISSUE, headlined by JAMES ROBINSON and TONY HARRIS’s Jack Knight Starman! Plus: The StarSpangled Kid, Starjammers, the 1980s Starman, and Starstruck! Featuring DAVE COCKRUM, GERRY CONWAY, ROBERT GREENBERGER, ELAINE LEE, TOM LYLE, MICHAEL Wm. KALUTA, ROGER STERN, ROY THOMAS, and more. Jack Knight Starman cover by TONY HARRIS.

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“KIRBY: BETA!” Jack’s experimental ideas, characters, and series (Fighting American, Jimmy Olsen, Kamandi, and others), Kirby interview, inspirations for his many “secret societies” (The Project, Habitat, Wakanda), non-superhero genres he explored, 2019 Heroes Con panel (with MARK EVANIER, MIKE ROYER, JIM AMASH, and RAND HOPPE), a pencil art gallery, UNUSED JIMMY OLSEN #141 COVER, and more!

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ALTER EGO #171

PAUL GUSTAVSON—Golden Age artist of The Angel, Fantom of the Fair, Arrow, Human Bomb, Jester, Plastic Man, Alias the Spider, Quicksilver, Rusty Ryan, Midnight, and others—is remembered by son TERRY GUSTAFSON, who talks in-depth to RICHARD ARNDT. Lots of lush comic art from Centaur, Timely, and (especially) Quality! Plus—FCA, MICHAEL T. GILBERT, JOHN BROOME, and more!